Tuesday, 6 October 2026

Namibia’s news, on the hour · Est. 2026

Tuesday, 6 October 2026

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Namibian press · Person

Claudia Claasen

Also known as: Judge Claasen · High Court Judge Claudia Claasen

Windhoek High Court judge who presides over serious criminal cases including murder, arson, and drug-related offences.

2024-05-142026-10-06

What’s been said

Key points drawn from coverage. Tap a point to see the original sentence.

March 2026
12 MarThe Namibian
Judge Claudia Claasen presides over Mecthilde Karomo's trial
Source
“She denied guilt on two counts of murder and a charge of arson when her trial started before judge Claudia Claasen in April last year.”
Woman denies double murder and arson in Okahandja Park fire trial
5 MarNew Era
Judge Claudia Claasen is presiding over Jonas Murao's trial
Source
“Jonas Murao (45) was testifying in his defence before Windhoek High Court Judge Claudia Claasen yesterday.”
Alleged serial rapist denies charges
5 MarThe Namibian
Judge Claudia Claasen is presiding over Murao's trial in the Windhoek High Court
Source
“He denied guilt on all of the charges when his trial started before judge Claudia Claasen in June last year.”
Jonas Murao denies baby-rape charge with farm alibi as Hardap trial continues
February 2026
19 FebNew Era
Judge Claudia Claasen recused herself upon being privy to information she should not have been exposed to
Source
“The case was then placed on the case management roll to assign a trial judge after Judge Claasen recused herself upon being privy to information she should not have been exposed to.”
‘State has no case against me’
July 2024
19 JulThe Namibian
Judge Claudia Claasen is presiding over Shaun Tieties's murder trial
Source
“Shaun Tieties (38) admitted guilt on counts of murder, read with the provisions of the Combating of Domestic Violence Act, assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm and attempting to obstruct the course of justice at the start of his trial before judge Claudia Claasen.”
Hardap man admits sheep-shears murder
16 JulThe Namibian
Judge Claudia Claasen postponed the delivery of her judgement to 17 October
Source
“Judge Claudia Claasen postponed the delivery of her judgement in the ex-policeman's trial to 17 October after hearing closing arguments in the matter yesterday.”
Father gets date for rape, incest trial verdict
May 2024
14 MayThe Namibian
Judge Claudia Claasen reserved judgement and postponed delivery to 9 August
Source
“Judge Claudia Claasen, who heard the arguments, reserved her judgement and postponed the delivery of the judgement to 9 August.”
Hatuikulipi says Dubai bank accounts are empty, closed

Business

High Court dismisses bail appeal in Namdia diamond heist case

The News

The High Court has dismissed Joel Angula's appeal to be released on bail in connection with a major diamond heist at Namib Desert Diamonds (Namdia) Ltd in January 2026. Angula, a former police and Namdia security officer, faces charges including murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances; 13 parcels of diamonds worth N$4.8 million were allegedly found at his residence, the day after thieves stole diamonds worth over N$300 million from Namdia.

18 September 2026 · Informanté →

Friday 18 September

High Court dismisses bail appeal in Namdia diamond heist case
The High Court has dismissed Joel Angula's appeal to be released on bail in connection with a major diamond heist at Namib Desert Diamonds (Namdia) Ltd in January 2026. Angula, a former police and Namdia security officer, faces charges including murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances; 13 parcels of diamonds worth N$4.8 million were allegedly found at his residence, the day after thieves stole diamonds worth over N$300 million from Namdia.
18 September 2026 · Informanté →

Tuesday 1 September

Defence lawyer withdraws from Windhoek murder trial
Tjizake Murangi (25), accused of murdering his former girlfriend in a knife attack two years ago, will reapply for state-funded legal aid after his defence lawyer withdrew from the case citing conflicting instructions from his client. Murangi faces nine charges including murder and domestic violence-related offences.
1 September 2026 · The Namibian →

Thursday 27 August

Court of Appeal: Housebreaking violates privacy beyond property loss
The Court of Appeal dismissed an appeal against a housebreaking conviction, ruling that housebreaking with intent to steal constitutes an invasion of privacy and deprivation of hard-earned possessions, warranting heavy sentences to protect vulnerable members of society.
27 August 2026 · New Era →

Monday 3 August

Hardap man convicted of raping four-month-old baby
Jonas Murao (47) has been convicted on six charges, including rape and housebreaking with intent to rape, related to incidents alleged to have occurred at Hoachanas in the Mariental district between November 2008 and November 2016. The Windhoek High Court found him guilty of raping a four-month-old baby and committing indecent assault against a sleeping woman on 12 November 2016.
3 August 2026 · The Namibian →

Thursday 30 July

Young man sentenced to 15 years for girlfriend's murder
Johannes Bock, 21, was sentenced to 18 years imprisonment (15 years effective) for strangling his then-girlfriend Sara Jonker, 17, in June 2024 in Gochas, Hardap region. Judge Claudia Claasen acknowledged Bock's young age and lack of emotional maturity as a mitigating factor but rejected the argument that youth should shield him from accountability.
30 July 2026 · The Namibian →

Wednesday 29 July

Man sentenced to 18 years for strangling teenage girlfriend
Johannes Bock, 21, from Hardap Region has been sentenced to 18 years' imprisonment for murdering his 18-year-old girlfriend Sara Jonker by strangulation during an argument in June 2023. Three years of the sentence are suspended for five years, conditional on no similar offence.
29 July 2026 · Informanté →

Wednesday 22 July

South African man loses bail appeal in cannabis farm case
A South African citizen's bail appeal was refused in the Windhoek High Court after a cannabis plantation valued at N$52 million was discovered at a farm in the Okahandja district. Judge Claudia Claasen found that the magistrate's earlier decision to deny bail was not wrong.
22 July 2026 · The Namibian →

Sunday 12 July

High Court dismisses legal challenge to cannabis prohibition
A Windhoek High Court judge has dismissed a legal challenge seeking to legalise cannabis possession and use in Namibia, ruling that policymaking on the issue is primarily a function for the executive and legislative branches, not the courts. The judge found the dispute involves complex matters of public health, criminal law, and social policy that are inappropriate for judicial determination.
12 July 2026 · The Namibian →

Thursday 2 July

Hardap man pleads guilty to murdering teenage girlfriend
Johannes Bock, 21, admitted in Windhoek High Court that he strangled his then-girlfriend Sara Jonker, 17, to death during an argument at his father's house in Gochas on 12–13 June 2023. Bock stated he did not intend to kill her but foresaw the possibility that she might die from suffocation as a result of the strangling.
2 July 2026 · The Namibian →

Wednesday 24 June

Okahandja cannabis plantation manager bail appeal ruling delayed to July
A High Court bail appeal decision for South African citizen Armand Schultz, arrested in connection with a cannabis plantation discovery at a farm near Okahandja in May last year, has been postponed to 21 July. Schultz and co-accused farm owner David van der Linden face charges related to cannabis valued at about N$52.2 million.
24 June 2026 · The Namibian →

Monday 15 June

High Court dismisses Angula's bail appeal on technical grounds
A High Court appeal by Joel Angula, a former Namib Diamonds protection officer, to overturn a bail denial was dismissed due to an incomplete bail record lacking the investigating officer's testimony. Angula faces eight counts including murder in connection with an armed robbery where diamonds valued at N$335.6 million were allegedly stolen from the NAMDIA head office.
15 June 2026 · Informanté →

Wednesday 3 June

Otavi man pleads not guilty to ex-girlfriend's stabbing death
Immanuel Venonja (25) denied murdering Elisabeth Uwu-Khaes (21) by stabbing her in a bar in Otavi on 31 May 2024, read with provisions of the Combating of Domestic Violence Act, in Windhoek High Court. Venonja claimed Uwu-Khaes attacked him first and that he did not stab her, though he admitted they had previously been in a domestic relationship and shared a child.
3 June 2026 · The Namibian →

Wednesday 20 May

Woman convicted of arson murders faces sentencing decision
Mecthilde Karomo (34), convicted of murdering two people who died in a Windhoek house fire in December 2022, is awaiting sentencing. The prosecutor recommended life imprisonment or a minimum of 30 years per count, while the defence proposed 16 years per murder count plus 4 years for arson, with some sentences to run concurrently.
20 May 2026 · The Namibian →
Former NAMDIA officer appeals bail denial in diamond theft case
Joel Angula, a former protection officer at state-owned NAMDIA, has appealed his bail denial in the High Court, arguing through his lawyer that the State has not established a chain of custody for diamonds found at his residence and that the magistrate ignored legal provisions for a fine. Angula faces eight counts, including murder, in connection with an armed robbery at NAMDIA where diamonds valued at N$335.6 million were allegedly stolen; 13 parcels valued at about N$4.8 million were found at his home, while over N$290 million of the stolen diamonds remain unrecovered.
20 May 2026 · Informanté →

Monday 11 May

Theodore Shipanga murder trial begins amid courtroom disruptions
Theodore Shipanga, arrested in November 2011 for the murder of security colleague Shain van Wyk, appeared in Windhoek High Court as his trial commenced, with Judge Eileen Rakow warning him against disrupting proceedings or facing trial in his absence. Shipanga is accused of shooting van Wyk in the head during a cash-in-transit operation between Otjiwarongo and Okahandja, then absconding with N$2.5 million.
11 May 2026 · Informanté →

Tuesday 21 April

Woman convicted of murdering two people in December 2022 arson
Mecthilde Karomo was found guilty on two murder charges and arson after setting fire to her boyfriend's house in Windhoek on 26 December 2022, killing Leonard Haupindi and Annastasia Matende. The judge found that Karomo, triggered by jealousy over Haupindi's new girlfriend, foresaw the possibility of death when she set the fire knowing they were inside or likely to be inside.
21 April 2026 · The Namibian →

Monday 20 April

Woman guilty of murdering boyfriend and his new lover
High Court Judge Claudia Claasen has found Mecthilde Karomo (33) guilty on two counts of murder with direct intent for killing her late boyfriend Leonard Haupindi (36) and his new lover Annastasia Matende (31) by setting the shack in which they were sleeping on fire on 26 December 2022 in Okahandja Park. Karomo was also found guilty on a charge of arson.
20 April 2026 · Informanté →

Tuesday 7 April

Mariental man acquitted of 2019 murder due to weak evidence
Windhoek High Court Judge Claudia Claasen acquitted Adam Isaack of murdering Eldin Fransman in 2019, finding the State's case rife with contradictions and unreliable witness testimony, with no eyewitnesses or forensic evidence linking him to the fatal stabbing. The judge noted that another State witness, Beneg Jossop, who owned the knife used in the killing, had provided inconsistent accounts of his location during the incident.
7 April 2026 · New Era →

Tuesday 17 March

Neighbour contradicts arson murder defendant's claim of fire damage
A neighbour testified in the trial of Mecthilde Karomo (33), accused of murdering her ex-boyfriend and his new lover by setting fire to his shack in Okahandja Park on 26 December 2022, stating he did not observe household items from Karomo's home burning despite her claims that the fire had affected her possessions.
17 March 2026 · Informanté →

Thursday 12 March

Woman denies arson in deaths of ex-boyfriend, his girlfriend
Iuze Mukube Mecthilde Karomo denies setting fire to a Windhoek shack in December 2022 that killed her ex-lover Leonard Haupindi Kadubuli and his girlfriend Anastasia Ihemba Matende. Testifying before the High Court, Karomo acknowledged a confrontation with Kadubuli the day before the fire but disputed threatening to burn the house and said she only learned of the deadly fire after hearing shouts from outside.
12 March 2026 · New Era →
Woman denies murder and arson in deadly Windhoek house fire trial
Mecthilde Karomo, accused of starting a fire in December 2022 that killed two people in Okahandja Park, Windhoek, testified that she was sleeping in her own house when the blaze occurred and denied setting the fatal fire. She disputed prosecution witnesses' claims that she confessed to the arson after a dispute with her then-boyfriend Leonard Haupindi.
12 March 2026 · The Namibian →

Thursday 5 March

Serial rape accused denies charges, claims alibi for incidents
Jonas Murao, 45, accused of nine charges including raping a four-month-old baby in Hoachanas, testified in his defence that he was not present when the alleged crimes occurred and was working at a settlement farm at the time. He denied all involvement and claimed an alibi for each incident dating back to 2008.
5 March 2026 · New Era →
Defendant denies baby rape charge; trial continues in Hardap case
Jonas Murao, accused of raping a four-month-old baby at Hoachanas in November 2016, claims he was at a farm on the date of the alleged assault. The baby's mother testified that she found her daughter without a nappy and with blood on her private parts after being awakened by her partner, and noted shoe prints in their one-room house that resembled sandals Murao was wearing that day.
5 March 2026 · The Namibian →

Thursday 19 February

Accused claims lack of disclosure halts trial proceedings
Theodor Shipanga told the court that his trial is ongoing without proper charges or full disclosure, stating he has not received the docket, charge sheet, post-mortem report, witness statements, or the full police investigation file. The State disputed his claim of non-disclosure, and the case was postponed to 18 March 2026 pending assignment of a trial judge.
19 February 2026 · New Era →