The trial opened in the Windhoek Supreme Court on 5 February of two alleged SWAPO combatants, Veiko Paulus NGHITEWA and Sam MUNDJINDJI. The hearing resumed after the two accused had spent a month at a psychiatric hospital in South Africa following evidence of their poor mental state at the initial hearing in November 1984. Two psychiatrists declared that the men were fit to stand trial.
Nghitewa and Mundjindji face charges of murder, kidnapping and robbery with extenuating circumstances, in connection with the disappearance and alleged death of Martin Shaanyenange, a radio announcer of the SWA Broadcasting Corporation, on 12 June 1983. Both men have pleaded not guilty.
At the opening of the trial, the court heard evidence from Shaanyenange's mother and wife, an officer of the South African Defence Force, and from witnesses claiming to have been told by the accused that they had killed Shaanyenange. Evidence submitted in court by these witnesses, describing the alleged behaviour of the two accused, would seem to be completely at variance with the normal precautions taken by combatants in any war situation. At least one witness for the prosecution had been detained before the trial. According to one witness, Sylvi Haiduwa, a shop assistant who is related to Nghitewa, he informed her during a chance meeting that he intended to abduct Shaanyenange, and warned her not to inform the radio announcer, who was visiting a nearby shop. Shortly afterwards she saw Shaanyenange leave the shop and drive off in his car, accompanied by Mundjindji. Later she claimed she saw both the accused in the car with Shaanyenange.
The postmaster of Ondangwa, Boas Mweendeleli, told the court that in July 1983 he had been approached by 'SWAPO members' to help them to repair a truck. They told him that Shaanyenange had been kidnapped and murdered. He helped them by taking the vehicle, which it was alleged was Shaanyenange's truck, to a place in Ovambo where the car was sprayed a different colour and the registration plates and licence were changed. He had been arrested in August 1983 for aiding the alleged 'terrorists'.
Major David Blaauw, an officer of the South African Defence Force, said in evidence that he had arrested the accused after they had been involved in a collision with his own car. He was not aware of their alleged connection with the murder and handed them to the police. He said it appeared that they were trying to cross the border to Angola.
A human skull, alleged to be that of Shaanyenange, was handed in as an exhibit. While first stressing the similarities between the teeth of the skull and those of Shaanyenange, Professor Lighelm of the dental faculty at the University of Pretoria admitted under cross examination that there were certain disparities between the exhibit in court and the skull he had analysed.
