NIMT double murder accused to hear his fate next month

Staff Reporter

ERNST Josef Lichtenstrasser, the man accused of the double murder of two senior executives at NIMT in Arandis, will learn his fate on November 14, 2023, after his trial concluded on Monday morning in the High Court of Namibia.

In April 2019, a tragic event occurred when Eckart Mueller, the director of the Namibian Institute of Mining and Technology, and Heimo Hellwig, the deputy director of the institution, were brutally killed in a manner resembling execution, right at the entrance to the main office building in Arandis, resulting in the arrest of Lichtenstrasser.

During the closing argument, the state expressed confidence in having established a compelling case against the accused Lichtenstrasser. It contended that there is irrefutable evidence supporting the claim that Lichtenstrasser committed the crime and, therefore, he should be declared guilty as charged beyond any reasonable doubt.

On the contrary, the defense attorney, Albert Titus, argued that the state’s witnesses had provided inconsistent testimonies, resulting in contradictions that require thorough evaluation by the court. He also raised concerns about the possibility of evidence tampering during forensic examination. Titus pointed out that the police had altered envelopes and removed them from their original packaging during transportation, which, in his opinion, raised doubts about their authenticity.

While Lichtenstrasser is alleged to have made confessions to the murder, and these confessions were entered into the court record during the trial, Titus urged the court to conduct a comprehensive assessment and reach a well-founded conclusion. He contended that these confessions were obtained under duress, while the accused was not in a sound state of mind. Titus emphasized that the court should not place reliance on such confessions and further prayed that his client should be found not guilty.

The 61-year-old further faced two charges of possessing a firearm without a license and another charge of possessing ammunition without a license, defeating or obstructing the course of justice, theft, and the unauthorized supply of a firearm and ammunition. His trial began in February 2021 when he denied guilt on eight counts.