Staff Reporter
HEROLD Uirab (35) has pleaded guilty to charges of murder as well as defeating the course of justice in relation to the death of Lydia Garises (23), who was raped, murdered, and thereafter mutilated in 2021 after the accused allegedly removed her uterus.
While pleading guilty to charges of murder and defeating/obstructing the course of justice, Uirab remained silent on the charges of rape as well as violating a dead body, putting the onus on the State to prove the allegations against him.
The State alleged that Uirab raped the late Garises, intentionally killed her, and thereafter dissected the genital pubic skin, making an incision to the abdomen with intestine evisceration or by removing the uterus.
Following the horrific incident, the heartbroken mother of the late Garises, Katrina Garises, expressed that the incident was made worse by the fact that her daughter’s body was mutilated and demanded that some of her private parts that were missing be returned so that her child may rest in peace.
“I, however, plead guilty to count 1, to wit: murder, and further plead guilty to count 4, to wit: defeating or obstructing the course of justice, and tender the said plea and make the statement freely, voluntarily, and without any force, threat, or undue influence. I plead guilty to murder in that on 11–12 December 2021, at Farm Stinkwater in Dordabis in the district of Windhoek, I unlawfully and intentionally killed one Lydia Garises, an adult female person born on 3 April 1998,” Uirab said.
He added that on the said date, he and the deceased were at a wedding reception; however, due to the romantic affair they had, he had invited the deceased to get away with him to a nearby place for privacy. He added that upon reaching the riverbed, the deceased had a change of heart and refused to continue with sexual intercourse, demanding that he end his relationship with his then main girlfriend and further threatening to expose him to the said girlfriend.
“I therefore grabbed her by the neck, shook her until she fainted, whereafter I took a stone and hit her with the said stone on the head and subsequently took a second stone and again hit her on the head, thus causing her death. I left the said Lydia Garises at the scene and went back home and thereafter to the wedding reception. I plead guilty to the obstruction of justice charge in that during the period of 11–14 December 2021, at Farm Stinkwater, I unlawfully and with the intention to defeat the course of justice hid the clothes I was wearing when I committed the murder,” Uirab said.
In conclusion, he expressed remorse for his actions and asked for leniency during sentencing.
The case, which is before High Court Judge Philanda Christiaan, was postponed to 19 January 2026 for continuation of trial.
