High Court Judge Christie Liebenberg on Wednesday announced that sentencing in the Shannon Wasserfalll case, in which Azaan Madisia and Steven Mulundu were found guilty of the obstruction of justice, will be handed down on 13 June 2023.
During the sentencing mitigation in the Windhoek High Court on Wednesday, Liebenberg set the sentencing date for 13 June for Medisia and Mulundu who were charged with defeating or obstructing the course of justice. Madisia was found guilty on an additional charge of fraud.
The 22-year-old Wasserfall was reported missing in Walvis Bay on 10 April 2020 and her remains were found buried at the harbour town on 06 October 2020 after an anonymous text message was sent to the deceased’s father.
Madisia and Mulundu were subsequently arrested for Wasserfall’s murder, a charge they were acquitted of in a judgement handed down by Liebenberg on Tuesday.
On Wednesday, State Prosecutor Henry Muhongo called to the dock the deceased’s father, Tega Metheus, who described his daughter as a lovable and easy going person.
He said that it is painful looking back and now knowing that during the six months the family spent searching for Wasserfall, Madisia was right by his side and lending a helping hand.
‘Seeing the accused person next to me, lying to me that she does not know where Shannon is, for six months was painful. Knowing that it was the helping hand that caused the most damage,’ said Metheus.
Neither Madisia nor Mulundu testified during the sentencing mitigation.
The legal aid lawyers for both accused laid their plea for the court to consider a one year sentencing for the fraud charges and a maximum of three years, with a five year suspension for Mulundu and Madisia on the defeating or obstructing the course of justice charge.
However, the state prosecutor suggested that the court should not consider a sentencing of less than eight years for the charge of defeating or obstructing the course of justice and agreed on the one year sentencing for the fraud charges.
Madisia’s lawyer, Albert Titus read a letter to Wasserfall’s family on her behalf, asking for forgiveness and apologising to the family.
Both defence lawyers asked the court to consider the time the accused spent in pre-trail custody when handing out the sentence.
Source: Namibia Press Agency