Attempted murder accused walks free
Namibia Qualifications Authority CEO Frans Gertze, who was arrested last year for allegedly shooting his wife six times, walked out of the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court a free man yesterday after his case was withdrawn.
According to the prosecutor Precious Matali, the prosecutor general decided not to prosecute Gertze for the shooting that occurred at the couple’s Pionierspark home on 19 November.
The prosecutor general was left to decide after the victim and wife to Gertze, Anita Gertze, made a statement under oath that she wished to withdraw the case.
In the statement that was read in court and formed part of the record, Anita refuted claims that Gertze was trying to kill her. She informed the court she was trying to prevent her husband from committing suicide on the fateful day but got shot while they were fighting for the gun.
The 55-year-old Gertze was charged with a count of attempted murder read with the provisions of the Domestic Violence Act and two alternative charges, one of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm read with the provisions of the Domestic Violence Act and negligent discharge of a firearm.
According to police reports at the time, Gertze informed the police that he heard intruders walking into his house and that he randomly fired his rifle in the bedroom that he shares with his wife.
However, upon police inspection of the property, the police established there was no sign that the house was broken into.
After the shooting, he drove his wife and their two children to a local hospital where Anita was admitted into an intensive care unit (ICU). She has since recovered.
Following the withdrawal of the case yesterday, magistrate Jo-Rina Jagger made an order to have N$5 000 that was posted for Gertze’s bail refunded to the depositor. Gertze was represented by defence lawyer Trevor Brokerhoff.