BY STAFF REPORTER
AN attempted murder suspect Martin Lupalezwi, (31) who is accussed of stabbing his girlfriend with a knife last year March, pleaded guilty in the Windhoek Regional Court.
Mr.Lupalezwi who is represented by Mr.Orben Sibeya of Sibeya and Partners, is accussed of stabbing Ms.Lillian Thembisa Tawo, who is aged 26, several times, with a near fatal cut on the neck that left her with a deep slit to the throat.
The accused Lupalezwi pleaded guilty to the charges stated before Magistrate Sarel Jacobs when his plea was read out saying he had an intention of killing Tawo, who is also the mother to his minor child.
The now estranged couple was involved in a fatal fight during quarrel where she was complaining of his other love relationship with another woman only known as Priscilla and whom he was staying with.
The incident occurred at his Khomasdal home in Dahlia Street where she managed to run out into the street when Lupalezwi was taking a shower. She collapsed in the street shortly afterwards.
In June Last year, three months after the near fatal attack on Tawo, Lupalezwi was denied bail in which Tawo had testified saying that a day before she was cut in the throat, Lupalezwi allegedly assaulted her.
Tawo claimed that the assault was a result of a text message she had received on her cell phone in his presence during a discussion about their relationship saying when his bid to find out who had sent the messages failed, he then allegedly hit her in the face.
“He hit me with the cell phone and threw me to the ground. He then started hitting my head against the ground while demanding to know who sent me the messages.
Tawo further narrated that the following day he came to collect her from her mother’s house on pretexts he was taking her to the pharmacist to receive medical help for her bruises.
Lupalezwi allegedly diverted en-route to his house where he was living with Pricilla, where the fight broke out when he questioned Tawo about her alleged affair with another man.
Following her denial of the affair, Lupalezwi then allegedly slapped and pinned her down on his bed, and started strangling her after which he grabbed a knife and stabbed her on the forehead, Tawo had testified.The accused Mr. Lupalezwi , is facing a sentence of fifteen years imprisonment without an option of fine in the Windhoek Regional Court. His defence lawyer, Mr.Sibeya, told Magistrate Jacobs that he had no doubt that Lupalezwi would be a law-abiding citizen once he is released from jail. He suggested that Lupalezwi be sentenced to five years’ imprisonment, of which at least three years should be suspended.
The State was represented Public Prosecutor Mr.Cliff Lutibezi who requested magistrate Jacobs to impose a deterrent sentence.
He suggested that Lupalezwi be sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment.
Lupalezwi is scheduled to be sentenced on May 29, 2012
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