Judge Christie Liebenberg on Thursday postponed the trial of former Namibian Institute of Mining and Technology (NIMT) employee Ernst Lichtenstrasser, who stands accused of murdering two of his superiors, to 16 October this year.

This is after the State indicated that Deputy Prosecutor General Antonia Verhoeff, who is representing the State in the matter, has been booked off.

Liebenberg postponed the matter for final oral submissions before a verdict on conviction can be made.

Lichtenstrasser reportedly shot NIMT Executives Eckhart Mueller and Heimo Hellwig on the morning of 15 April 2019 at the entrance of the NIMT campus in Arandis, shortly after they arrived at work.

He has since maintained his innocence.

The State has been ordered to file its documents on 28 September, while the defence lawyers have been ordered to file their documents on 09 October.

The State’s case is that Lichtenstrasser was involved in a dispute with the NIMT management, following a decision to transfer him from the institution’s campus in Tsumeb where he was stationed, to Keetmanshoop.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency