Rehoboth youthful killer tearfully apologises to victim’s family

WINDHOEK, 13 DEC – A 22-year-old resident of Rehoboth found guilty of raping and strangling to death a teenage girl at the town between 05 and 06 November 2016, on Wednesday extended an apology to his victim’s family members and friends.
Aldrin Goliath was last month found guilty by High Court Judge Christie Liebenberg on charges of murder with direct intention to kill, rape and theft in respect of the circumstances that led to the death of 16-year-old Camila Gabriela Steyn.
Goliath made the tearful apology when he gave evidence in mitigation in respect of the type of custodial sentence to be imposed by the court.
“I have broken a lot of people’s hearts as a result of my wrongful actions that fateful day. I made terribly bad decisions in respect of the circumstances that led to the death of the deceased person. It was not my intention to cause the death of the deceased. I am really sorry for causing the death of the deceased person. My wrongful actions robbed both the family and the society of a young person,” he said while also asking for forgiveness from the court.
Goliath told the court that he regretted his actions for causing the death of the young girl and now “I have to serve a direct custodial sentence”.
He then appealed to the court not to impose a very long prison sentence that would destroy his chances of rehabilitation.
Meanwhile, in her testimony before court on Wednesday, Jennifer Steyn, the deceased’s biological mother asked the court to send Goliath behind bars for a long time because he is a danger to society.
Goliath admitted during trial that he killed the teenage girl by strangling her to death with his own hands at a half-built house in Rehoboth’s Block C residential area, while she was on her way home after socialising with friends at South-West Nightclub and Entertainment.
The body of the deceased was discovered at the crime scene in the morning hours of 06 November 2016 and asphyxia was confirmed as the cause of death.
Legal Aid-funded defence lawyer Mese Tjituri is defending Goliath while State Advocate Martino Olivier represents the prosecution.
Goliath remains in police custody at the Windhoek Central Correctional Facility, where he has been since his arrest, with no option to post bail, pending sentencing possibly in the next few weeks.
NAMPA