Okahandja farm murder accused gets new dates
Aresident of Okahandja, accused of killing a man and burying him alongside two dogs on his father’s farm in 2013, will only be tried next year.
Karl Friedrich Eichhoff’s lawyer Sarel Maritz and State prosecutor Bertolini Bernadine agreed for the court to reserve 24, 25 and 28 February 2022 for plea and trial.
The 38-year-old Eichhoff ’s trial is expected to start afresh after presiding officer Elina Nandago left the services of the Judiciary last year.
The case is now set to be heard by magistrate Johannes Shuuveni.
Prosecution is charging Eichhoff with a count of murder, defeating or obstructing the course of justice, or attempting to do so, and ill-treatment of animals. The charges emanate from the shooting that took place on Eichhoff father’s farm in Okahandja district on 6 October 2013.
The prosecution alleges he shot and killed Cornelius Slinger (51), and then attempted to conceal his crime by burying the body, alongside two dogs he had shot, in warthog holes.
At the start of his trial in June 2017, Eichhoff pleaded not guilty to charges of murder and illtreatment of animals but admitted guilt on a count of attempting to defeat or obstruct the course of justice.
In his plea explanation, he told the court he did not see any human being when he fired shots at four dogs that were on the farm.
He, however, admitted one of the shots he fired might have struck Slinger and caused his death.
The accused explained that on the day in question, he was at the water point on the farm when he heard dogs barking.
He allegedly started walking in their direction to see what was going on, as they had issues with poaching on the farm.
Eichhoff approached a busy area and came across four dogs before opening fire.
As a result of the shooting, he killed two dogs.
After he got closer to the animals, he allegedly saw a man lying dead under a bush.
Due to fear and panic, he decided to bury Slinger alongside the dead dogs in warthog holes at the scene.
Slinger’s body was discovered two days later after a search carried out by the police and residents from a neighbouring resettlement farm, where he lived.
Eichhoff confessed and was arrested.
He showed police where he had buried Slinger.
According to the post-mortem report, Slinger died from blood loss, caused by a gunshot wound.
The fatal bullet struck him on his right leg, just below the buttock, went through the leg, nearly destroyed his private parts, and entered his left leg.
The report indicated Slinger was walking or running when he got shot.
Eichhoff is currently on N$30 000 bail pending the finalisation of his case.