Ndapandula Vanyika

The biological sister of Mallena Paulus (24), at the tender age of 11, witnessed her sister being slapped, kicked and stabbed in the neck by her romantic partner.

Paulus died from the severe injuries at their home in Enyana in Ohangwena region in 2021.

The now 16-year-old testified in aggravation in the trial of the murder accused, Jeremia Fillipus (46), who was convicted of murdering her sister.

Fillipus was convicted of murder read with the Combating of Domestic Violence Act and assault by threat on 10 September 2026 following his plea of guilty to the murder charge only and placing the onus on the State with a plea of not guilty on the second count.

Consideration of evidence on the second count by the court found the accused guilty as charged.

It is alleged that Fillipus, on 13 August 2021, near Enyana in Eenhana, killed Mallena while the two were in a romantic relationship as boyfriend and girlfriend.

He allegedly also assaulted the deceased’s sister by threatening to beat her, which he denied doing.

The State called the deceased’s sister to testify following the plea of not guilty on the second count.

The witness shall not be named to protect her identity.

Paulus’s young sister recounted how the incident unfolded.

She testified that while at home with Mallena, the accused arrived demanding all the clothes he had allegedly bought for her.

The witness stated that she stepped out for a minute, and when she came back, she saw the two of them in the kitchen.

Mallena was seated, she recalled.

“He slapped her on the cheek with an open hand, then he kicked her on her side,” the witness recalled.

He then allegedly stabbed her sister in the neck and continued to stab her while pulling her to a sleeping room.

Once in the room, the accused allegedly pushed Mallena who fell to the ground.

But that did not stop him, as he allegedly continued stabbing her, asking her whether she was going to do it again.

The witness added that at the time she intervened and demanded for the accused to stop, he threatened to beat her to death.

She then fled with a small child who resided with them.

She went to call for help from a neighbour, Fillemon Haishimina, who also recounted witnessing Fillipus sitting on the deceased’s stomach while cutting her throat.

Fillipus admitted to killing Mallena and stated that she had been his girlfriend for about five months at the time of the incident.

He stated that while in that relationship, he was also married to another woman traditionally and that he is a father of eight children.

According to Fillipus, Mallena was the initial aggressor and only wrestled the knife from her hand after she tried to stab him with an okapi knife.

He stated that he became angry and stabbed her four times.

Acting Judge Marlene Tommasi on 18 September 2026 sentenced Fillipus to 24 years imprisonment on the charge of murder and six months on the charge of assault by threat, which was ordered to be served concurrently with the first charge.

In her ruling, in the Oshakati High Court, Tommasi noted that she could only agree with Mallena’s mother, Elina Thomas, who told the court that the killing of her daughter was like the slaughter of an animal.

“The gaping wound in the neck was not the result of one stab or cut. It was the result of a continuous cutting, as described by Fillemon, until the very last bit of life left the deceased,” she noted.

She added that the accused admitted himself that he was angry and stabbed and cut the deceased multiple times.

“By all accounts, this can only be described as a horrendous act of murder,” Tommasi said.

“The manner in which the deceased was killed left an indelible scar in the memory of her sister, who was only 11 years old at the time,” she added.

The deceased was like a lamb slaughtered, young, vulnerable and defenceless, she noted.

She added that the convict, in his anger and his pathological jealousy, showed no mercy and no restraint.

Fillipus was represented by defence lawyer Aina Nangolo. Advocate Victoria Shingwedha represented the State.