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Tuesday, 6 October 2026
Namibia’s news, on the hour · Est. 2026
Tuesday, 6 October 2026
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Namibian press · Person

Dinnah Usiku

Judge presiding over High Court murder convictions, including cases involving domestic violence.

2023-07-062026-10-06

What’s been said

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

  1. September 2026
  2. The Namibian

    Judge Dinnah Usiku concluded evidence overwhelming against the accused

    Source

    “"The evidence is overwhelming against the accused," judge Dinnah Usiku said in the judgement in which she found Henry Murphy (46) guilty on a charge of murder, read with the provisions of the Combating of Domestic Violence Act, and a count of obstructing the course of justice.”

    Rehoboth strangler Henry Murphy guilty of ex-girlfriend’s murder
  3. August 2026
  4. The Namibian

    Judge Dinnah Usiku presided over the start of the trial

    Source

    “The three accused – Nicodemus Hango (23), Abast Muya (28) and Erastus Gabriel (41) – pleaded not guilty to a charge of murder, two counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances, and a charge of defeating or obstructing the course of justice at the start of their trial before judge Dinnah Usiku.”

    Dorado Valley flat murder trio deny guilt
  5. July 2026
  6. The Namibian

    Judge Dinnah Usiku concluded state proved Gawaseb committed murder with direct intention to kill

    Source

    “Usiku concluded that the state proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Gawaseb committed the crime of murder with a direct intention to kill.”

    High Court convicts Gobabis man of girlfriend’s murder
  7. June 2026
  8. Informanté

    Judge Dinnah Usiku found Jacobus Gawaseb guilty of murder of Fransiska Naobes

    Source

    “JUDGE Dinnah Usiku in the High Court at the Windhoek Correctional Facility (WCF) on Monday found Jacobus Gawaseb (28) guilty of murder (dolus eventualis) of his then girlfriend, Fransiska Naobes (24), after finding that the State proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Gawaseb killed Naobes intentionally.”

    Man found guilty of intentional killing of pregnant girlfriend
  9. March 2026
  10. The Namibian

    Judge Dinnah Usiku ordered psychiatric evaluation of Haoseb to assess mental condition at time of crimes

    Source

    “Usiku made an order that an enquiry should be done into Haoseb's mental health history and a report provided to the court.”

    Testimony of psychiatrists needed in rape, robbery trial
  11. The Namibian

    Judge Dinnah Usiku presided over Gawaseb's trial starting on Tuesday

    Source

    “With his trial starting before judge Dinnah Usiku in the High Court at Windhoek Correctional Facility on Tuesday, Jacobus Gawaseb (28) admitted in a plea statement that he assaulted his then girlfriend, Fransiska Naobes (24), in the Epako area of Gobabis during the night of 2 to 3 March 2023.”

    Man admits fatal assault on pregnant girlfriend at Gobabis
  12. August 2024
  13. The Namibian

    Judge Dinnah Usiku postponed the sentencing of the four men convicted to 16 September

    Source

    “Judge Dinnah Usiku postponed the sentencing of the four men convicted in connection with the house robbery to 16 September at the end of the presentence hearing.”

    Lock husband’s killers up for life, widow says
  14. July 2024
  15. The Namibian

    Judge Dinnah Usiku convicted four men on charges of murder and five others including attempted murder

    Source

    “Judge Dinnah Usiku convicted the four men – Panduleni Gotlieb, David Tashiya, David Shekundja and Elly Hinaivali – at the end of a lengthy judgement delivered in the High Court at Windhoek Correctional Facility.”

    Four guilty after trial over deadly robbery
  16. The Namibian

    Judge Dinnah Usiku convicted four men on six charges including murder

    Source

    “Judge Dinnah Usiku convicted the four men – Panduleni Gotlieb, David Tashiya, David Shekundja and Elly Hinaivali – at the end of a lengthy judgement delivered in the High Court at Windhoek Correctional Facility on Monday.”

    Four found guilty over fatal house robbery
  17. July 2023
  18. The Namibian

    Judge Dinnah Usiku made the ruling against recalling the three police officer witnesses

    Source

    “Judge Dinnah Usiku made the ruling on an application by one of the five accused on trial before her, Panduleni Gotlieb, to have three state witnesses recalled to be cross-examined again on his behalf.”

    No recall of witnesses in Walvis Bay house robbery trial

Thursday 24 September

  1. High Court convicts Henry Murphy of ex-girlfriend's murder

    Henry Murphy has been found guilty of murdering his ex-girlfriend Christiana Beukes in Rehoboth in March 2023 after she rejected a sexual advance, the High Court ruled on Tuesday. Murphy was also convicted of obstructing the course of justice by concealing footprints at the scene.

    24 September 2026 · The Namibian →

Monday 14 September

  1. Murder accused admits he was present at Windhoek victim's flat

    One of three men on trial for the March 2024 robbery and murder of Stanley Cloete, a NUST lecturer in Windhoek's Dorado Valley, admitted to police that he was present when the alleged victim was overpowered before items were stolen from his flat. The accused, Nicodemus Hango (23), along with Abast Muya (28) and Erastus Gabriel (41), deny four charges including murder and two counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances; Cloete is alleged to have died from suffocation after being tied up and gagged.

    14 September 2026 · The Namibian →

Sunday 16 August

  1. Omaheke man sentenced to 22 years for girlfriend's murder

    Jacobus Gawaseb was convicted and sentenced to 22 years' imprisonment for the fatal assault of his pregnant girlfriend, Fransiska Naobes, in March 2023. Judge Dinnah Usiku noted widespread outrage over domestic murders and said courts cannot ignore public concern without risking a breakdown of law and order.

    16 August 2026 · The Namibian →

Tuesday 11 August

  1. Three men deny guilt in Windhoek flat murder case

    Three men accused of robbing and killing Stanley Cloete in his Dorado Valley flat on 2 March 2024 pleaded not guilty to murder, two counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances, and defeating the course of justice when their trial began in the High Court. The accused say items including a car, smartphone, laptop, television, watches and clothing were stolen from Cloete, who was assaulted, tied up and stabbed.

    11 August 2026 · The Namibian →

Wednesday 1 July

  1. High Court convicts Gobabis man of girlfriend's murder

    Jacobus Gawaseb (29) was convicted of murder with direct intention to kill after fatally assaulting his pregnant girlfriend Fransiska Naobes (24) in Gobabis on 2–3 March 2023. Naobes died in hospital on 19 April 2023; the premature baby she was carrying was born but later died of malnutrition.

    1 July 2026 · The Namibian →

Monday 29 June

  1. Man convicted of murdering pregnant girlfriend in Gobabis

    Judge Dinnah Usiku found Jacobus Gawaseb (28) guilty of the murder of his then girlfriend Fransiska Naobes (24), who died on 19 April 2023 from injuries sustained in an assault on 2–3 March 2023 in Epako, Gobabis, while she was pregnant. The baby was born prematurely and also died; Gawaseb admitted to assaulting Naobes but denied intentional killing, a plea the State rejected.

    29 June 2026 · Informanté →

Friday 27 March

  1. Psychiatrists to testify in rape-robbery conviction sentencing

    Two psychiatrists will testify in May in the High Court about their psychiatric evaluation of Richard Haoseb (29), who was convicted of five counts of rape, housebreaking, robbery and kidnapping at Gobabis. The defence raised questions about Haoseb's mental state at the time of the crimes, noting he was diagnosed with schizophrenia and reported hearing voices since age seven.

    27 March 2026 · The Namibian →

Thursday 12 March

  1. Man admits fatal assault on pregnant girlfriend in Gobabis

    A 28-year-old Gobabis resident admitted in the High Court to assaulting his pregnant girlfriend Fransiska Naobes in March 2023, causing injuries from which she died seven weeks later in hospital. He claimed he acted after being told by a neighbor that Naobes was unfaithful, but did not admit to intending to kill her, so the state rejected his murder plea.

    12 March 2026 · The Namibian →

Dinnah Usiku — Namibian press coverage · Namibia Minute