By: Justicia Shipena
The High Court has ordered siblings Azaan Madisia and Junior Mulundu, accused of murdering Shannon Wasserfall, to be detained in Windhoek.
This comes as the court had postponed the matter to 18 August 2022 for filing.
During the court case management, the defence counsel in the Windhoek High Court asked whether the duo would be detained in Walvis Bay and return upon the resumption of the case in the court. It said they do not object to their clients being detained in Walvis Bay.
“I don’t have an objection with the clients being detained in Walvis Bay because we are based in Swakopmund and Walvis Bay,” said legal representative Tanya Klazen.
The team also did not object to the accused being detained in Windhoek.
“I don’t have any objection. My client can be detained in Windhoek.”
According to the defence counsel, Madisa prefered to be detained in Windhoek as the conditions are better; however, Mulundu had prefered Walvis Bay.
The murder case against the two was transferred to the High Court and commenced this morning.
Madisia will be detained at the Klein Windhoek holding cells, while Mulundu will be at the Windhoek Correctional Facility in the trail awaiting section.
Shannon went missing on 10 April 2020 from Kuisebmond.
Months later, on 6 October 2020, her remains were found in a shallow grave in Walvis Bay after the police received a tip-off.
Dennis Wasserfall, the uncle to Shannon, while speaking to The Villager on the case being transferred to the High Court, said the move brings hope.
Since their arrest in 2020, the siblings appeared in the Walvis Bay Magistrate’s Court on charges of murder, defeating the course of justice, fraud and theft.
“There is actually hope in the whole case, and I am happy that the case is now at the High Court, so I think there is hope,” said Wasserfall.
He added that it was a good move that the duo are detained in Windhoek.
“As long as they are in custody and they don’t get bail,” he said.
While the mother of the late Shannon, Poppy, said she is pleased with the case being at the High Court.
“I have hope that things will come to an end. All I want is closure. All I want is closure,” she expressed.
Activist Ndiilokelwa Nthengwe says the accused had several representations that they decided not to continue with, and the matter being transferred to the High Court shows there might be sufficient resources for the judiciary to move forward.
“I think that really beings a lot of hope, and the family is also mostly based here in Windhoek,” she said.
Nthengwe added that the activism on the Wasserfall murder would persist.
“It just takes a little bit more of mobilisation as some things have stalled a little bit since 2020, and that is because there have been so many processes and the family taking that time to mourn and grieve the loss of our sister and cousin,” she added.
She further believes that the #ShutItAllDown movement is standing in solidarity. The movement had widely demonstrated against sexual and gender-based violence.
“We have been mobilising on social media, and there have been other outcomes through the processes we started when the movement was launched.”
Police reports had indicated Shannon was allegedly reported missing by Madisia on 10 April last year.
The discovery of Shannon’s remains led to Madisia’s arrest.
Mulundu was arrested after he handed himself over to the police on 7 November 2020.
He also allegedly admitted to assisting his sister in disposing of Shannon’s remains.
