WINDHOEK - After more than eight months, the trial of Paulus Titus (26) was postponed yesterday. Titus is facing charges of murder, rape and robbery with aggravating circumstances.

The reason for Monday’s postponement was because his DNA results were still not available.
State Prosecutor, Advocate Karin Esterhuizen, told Judge Nate Ndauendapo they are still waiting for the DNA report.
She said the Director of the National Forensic Science Institute of Namibia, Dr Paul Ludik, would only be available in court today to testify.

The prosecution alleges Titus murdered his employer, Erica Tjiho, in her house in the Ovitoto area east of Okahandja on September 1, 2009 and that he also raped Tjiho, and that he robbed her of clothes, an unknown amount of money, toiletries and a container of diesel.

Tjiho was assaulted and died as a result of strangulation, it is alleged. Titus has pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
Defence Counsel, Kaijata Kangueehi, who is representing the accused on instructions from the Directorate of Legal Aid (DLA), argued that the State had ample time to secure the DNA results and insisted that the State should close its case.

Kangueehi said the State had over eight months to produce the results and failed to do so. Kangueehi was adamant that his client is languishing in prison, while the State chases shadows.

At an earlier appearance before a magistrate, Titus admitted that he assaulted the deceased over unpaid wages.
In the statement which was admitted as evidence by Judge Ndauendapo, Titus claimed that he only slapped the deceased a few times with an open hand, but could not remember the exact number of times.

“I then left her there and went. We were the only ones there at her house when this happened. After I assaulted her I decided that I will not work for them anymore,” he had testified.

According to Titus he left Tjiho alive when he left her house.