A former senior police officer attached to the Women and Child Protection Unit in Keetmanshoop was yesterday ordered to undergo mental observation by Deputy Judge President Hosea Angula when he made a third appearance in the Windhoek High Court.
The judge ordered that former Detective Warrant Officer Morgan Brian Plaatjie must be evaluated by a psychiatrist in the employment of the State as well as by a private psychiatrist.
This came after lawyer Christo Stanley, who was standing in for Boris Isaacks, applied for the accused to be evaluated.
The accused is facing one charge of housebreaking with the intent to murder and murder, read with the provisions of the Combating of Domestic Violence Act, one count of attempted murder, and two counts of contravening the Combating of Domestic Violence Act.
Plaatjie is also charged with contravening a protection order, one count of assault by threat and one count of malicious damage to property, read with the provisions of the Combating of Domestic Violence Act.
It is alleged by the State that during the period 25 to 26 June 2021 in Keetmanshoop, the accused broke down the door of Yvette Sharon Louw with the intent to murder her.
The prosecution alleges that he unlawfully and intentionally killed Louw by stabbing her several times with a knife. The attempted murder charge relates to an incident on the same date when he allegedly unlawfully and intentionally assaulted Dawid Jansen by stabbing him multiple times with the intention to murder him.
With regards to contravening a protection order, it is alleged that Plaatjie contravened the provisions of a protection order the deceased had taken out against him on two occasions.
The assault by threat charge is in relation to an incident when he allegedly threatened to kill or beat her in circumstances where she believed he had the intention and means to carry out his threat, and caused her to flee her residence.
The malicious damage charge reflects an incident when he allegedly unlawfully and intentionally destroyed her TV set.
The matter will return to court on 21 July for a status report on the mental observation. Deputy prosecutor general Antonia Verhoef represented the State.
