Cop accused of killing his two sons seeks bail 0 The State advocate argued they have presented strong prima facie case in the brutal murder of two small boys, allegedly committed by their father, a former police officer, in Gobabis last year.State Advocate Antonia Verhoef in her argument in opposing the bail application of Albertus Ganeb maintained that they have put clear evidence before court that that linked the accused to the murders.
Ganeb, a police constable at Gobabis, is accused of stabbing to death his two sons, Tertius Swartz, 7, and Gregory Swartz, 4. The 31-year-old has been in custody since his arrest on 25 April 2014.
He is alleged to have attacked the seven-year-old boy and stabbed him at least four times in the head. The boy died of multiple open-skull fractures.
Ganeb allegedly stabbed his four-year-old son six times in the body and head. The boy received medical treatment at Gobabis and was later transferred to the Katutura State Hospital, where he died of his injuries
Ganeb faces these two murder charges read in conjunction with the provisions of Combating of Domestic Violence Act.
He also faces a charge of assault with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm for the assault of Romilly Swartz during 2013 and 2014. He allegedly hit Swartz on the head with a police baton during 2013 and is further charged with assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm for the assaulting her during 2014.
Advocate Verhoef highlighted that the complainant, Swartz, the former girlfriend of the accused as well as the mother of his deceased sons, before the incident left Ganeb and had a new relationship for which accused had threatened her.
“This matter cannot be ignored in the bail application,” Verhoef said and requested the court to refuse bail because State had proved its case.
She further said it is not a correct approach to suggest that the Swartz can merely apply for protection order because that would not be in the interest of administration of justice or that of society.
“There is nothing that contradicts the State’s claim that they have prima facie case that the accused committed the murders,” she argued.
Verhoef said that Ganeb does not need a passport to abscond - that he only needs money.
Both the deceased two sons of Ganeb had stab wounds and that the blood samples found on the Ganeb’s T-shirt and the shoes he wore match those of the deceased boys.
According to her the DNA found on the two knives recovered at the scene of the murder, to which he confessed to have possessed, is that of Ganeb.
Defence counsel Afrika Jantjies argued that his client was suspended from his employment in terms of the provisions of the Police Act and that there is no letter requesting his reinstatement. His services were allegedly later terminated on absence from work without leave.
“There was no directive from the Permanent Secretary of Safety and Security after his suspension to go back to work.”
He further argued that his client was arrested unlawfully.
The case was postponed to 6 October for ruling on the bail application.
FRED GOEIEMAN