WINDHOEK - The unavailability of a psychiatric report to determine if double child murder suspect Jonas Penovanhu Shinana is mentally sound to face the music on murder charges compelled the court to postpone the trial for the third time in a row.
 

The court ordered the suspect to undergo psychiatric observation to evaluate his mental condition at the time of the murders and to determine whether he is fit to stand trial. Shinana, who is accused of cutting the throats of his two minor children, is still on the waiting list for psychiatric observation. Shinana’s defence lawyer, Tanswell Davies, told Judge Collins Parker yesterday that they are still waiting for Shinana’s mental evaluation.

At an earlier appearance in court in May this year, Davies made the request to Judge Ndauendapo and when they appeared again in July the suspect still had not seen a State psychiatrist. Shinana is accused of murdering his two children, Matheus Shinana (6) and Emilia Naatye Shinana (4), in Windhoek’s Wanaheda residential area between December 23 and 24, 2009. The children died after their throats were cut. Shinana (28), who was employed as a security guard at the time, allegedly tried to commit suicide by hanging himself after killing the two children. The suicide attempt failed. He remains in custody and is due to appear in the High Court on October 11. State advocate Palmer Kumalo represented the prosecution.