Key suspect in businessman’s death gets new lawyer

WINDHOEK, 20 APR – Gotlieb Panduleni, a key suspect in the murder of Walvis Bay businessman Hans-Jorg Möller, has secured a new government-sponsored defence lawyer.
Panduleni was left with no legal representation following the withdrawal of State-funded defence lawyer Chris Mayumbelo from the case last month after the lawyer closed down his law firm in the capital.
A court document availed to Nampa on Friday shows the Justice Ministry’s Directorate of Legal Aid has now appointed local defence lawyer Mbushandje Ntinda to defend Panduleni during future court proceedings and when the trial proper begins.
Ntinda has been directed to file his responses to the questionnaire of the prosecution’s pre-trial memorandum not later than 17 May 2018.
The appointed of Ntinda was made public when Panduleni, 30; his co-accused David Tashiya, 29; David Shekundja, 35; Elly Ndapuka Hinaivali, 29; and Malakia Shiweda, 28; on Thursday appeared before High Court Judge Christie Liebenberg during a pre-trial conference of case management review.
Panduleni is listed as accused number one in the matter.
He was free on bail for three other murder cases when he was allegedly involved in Möller’s murder.
The five men remain in custody at the Windhoek Central Correctional Facility with no option to post bail due to the serious nature of the crime and objection from the family of the deceased.
Möller was attacked and shot in the stomach during an armed robbery at his house in June 2017, leading to his death in the hospital a few days after the incident.
The five men are charged with murder, attempted murder, robbery, possession of an unlicensed firearm and housebreaking with intent to rob, among other charges.
Möller’s wife, Carol-Ann Sowden Möller, accompanied by their children, friends and members of the public were also present in court on Thursday.
Defence lawyers Christopher Dube, Trevor Brockerhoff, Mese Tjituri and Titus Ipumbu are representing the other four accused.
The five men return to court on 24 May 2018.
NAMPA