Suspected murderer of IUM student to appear before High Court

WINDHOEK, 20 SEP  – A former long-distance bus driver who stands accused of killing his girlfriend, International University of Management (IUM) student Iyaloo Ndapandula Hainghumbi in January 2017, is scheduled to make his first appearance in the High Court here today.
The murder suspect, Victor Elia, 37, made his final appearance in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court in Katutura on 31 July 2018, when his case was transferred from to the Windhoek High Court.
The accused has been in police custody since his arrest in January 2017, with no option to post bail due to the seriousness and complexity of the charge he is facing.
Elia is facing a charge of murder read with the provisions of the Combating of Domestic Violence Act of 2003 in respect of the circumstances that led to Hainghumbi death.
Hainghumbi’s body was discovered near the B1 main road between Windhoek and Okahandja on 14 January 2017.
The prosecution alleges that Elia murdered the student by hitting her on the head numerous times with an unknown object, after which he then allegedly dumped the body on the side of the road.
It is further alleged that Elia was not happy with the deceased after learning that Hainghumbi wanted to end their three-year-long relationship.
He was also the last person to see the deceased alive.
However, during his failed formal bail application before court last year, Elia denied being involved in Hainghumbi’s death.
He told the court that he only met with her briefly on 13 January 2017 and he did not know what happened to her thereafter.
Public Prosecutor Victoria Thompson represented the State when Elia’s case was transferred from the Katutura Magistrate’s Court to the High Court.
Elia has been appearing before court in person with no legal representation. – NAMPA