Accused confesses he murdered his German bosses
He however claims it was robbery gone wrong
The convict hacked the couple to death, pinned a knife on top of the woman’s breast
He fled the scene to Maun where he was later arrested
Maun High Court Judge, Godfrey Nthomiwa has convicted 32-year-old Sam Thindimba for the brutal murder of a German couple at Dombo Game Farm in December 2016.
Thindimba who was employed as a farm worker by the deceased persons at their farm near Makalamabedi, was found guilty of two counts of murder and another one of robbery.
Thindimba is said to have on the 11th of December 2016 murdered 52 year Ulrich Oehl by hacking him on the head with a pick. He also killed 52-year-old Gisela Heike by hacking her on the head with a pick and finished her off with a knife on top of her left breast.
On the third count the accused person was found guilty of robbing the deceased persons their properties which included a Lenovo laptop, red cooler box, riffle, cash and a land cruiser with various luggage in it. Thindimba, who confessed to the murder argued that it was not intentional as he claimed that he only wanted to rob the couple and pay himself what they owed him.
Evidence brought before court is that on the 11th December 2019 the accused person walked from Motopi village to Dombo farms where the deceased resided and entered their kitchen through a window.
He is said to have helped himself to some snack and alcoholic spirits, then proceeded to the couple’s office where he stole cash and a gun. He allegedly then proceeded to a tool shack where he took a slasher and an axe pick which he used to open the couple’s bathroom window.
Thindimba confessed that prior to entering the house he turned the lights on and found himself in the deceased’s bathroom. He revealed that when he turned the lights on the old man woke up and he smashed his head with a bush pick.
Furthermore, the accused person confessed that as he smashed Oehl’s head his wife woke up and he also smashed her head with the same bush pick, and then finished her off by stabbing her with a kitchen knife on top of her left breast.
The accused person also revealed that he then went on and took the deceased couple’s car and drove off to flee the scene. He said he however left it along the way as he was unable to drive any further.
Thindimba confessed that after realising that he could no longer drive the car he left it in the bush and decided to hike his way to Maun. The accused person indicated that upon his arrival in Maun loaded with cash, he went to drown himself with alcohol but was arrested latter by the police for questioning regarding the matter.
Oehl and Heike were found by Ineeleng Gaselengwe and Lewis Monyatsi who were also their employees at the farm. The two found the deceased persons lying motionless on their twin beds with bloody pillows on top of them and a knife stuck on top of Heike’s left breast.
In his judgement, Nthomiwa dismissed the accused person’s assertion that drunkenness clouded his judgement when committing the offence. Nthomiwa said apart from the accused person’s claim that he had consumed a variety of alcoholic drinks at the deceased’s kitchen after he forcefully entered through the window, there is no evidence which show how much alcohol he consumed.
“The accused person knew the couple was sleeping in their bedroom hence he did not spend a longer period consuming alcohol as he knew what the couple would do to him if they caught him trespassing if they happen to wake up,” Nthomiwa argued.
He noted that Thindimba knew where he was going and what he was doing as he managed to go straight to the kitchen to get food and alcohol on his arrival at the farm and then proceeded to the tool shack where he took a slasher and a bush pick axe to accomplish his mission.
The convicted person will appear on the 16th June for ruling on extenuating circumstances and mitigation, before sentencing.
