Windhoek High Court Hands 35-Year Sentence in Double Murder and Arson Case to Mecthilde Karomo (34)
By TUW
A 34-year-old, Mecthilde Karomo has been sentenced to 35 years’ imprisonment after being found guilty of murdering her former boyfriend and his partner in a house fire, in a case that has drawn widespread public attention.
The sentence was delivered on Friday at the Windhoek High Court, where the court ruled on charges of double murder and arson linked to a fatal incident that occurred in December 2022 in the Okahandja Park area of Windhoek.
The court heard that Mecthilde Karomo deliberately set fire to the home of her former partner, Leonard Haupindi (36), during the early hours of 26 December 2022. At the time of the incident, Haupindi was inside the house with his girlfriend, Anastasia Matende (31).
Both Haupindi and Matende died as a result of the fire.
In delivering judgment, the court imposed 32 years’ imprisonment on each of the two murder counts. The sentences will run concurrently. Karomo was also sentenced to three years’ imprisonment on the arson charge, bringing the effective sentence to 35 years.
The case was heard in the Windhoek High Court, where the court found that the accused’s actions directly led to the deaths of the two victims.
The ruling marks the conclusion of a case that highlighted the severe consequences of domestic-related violence and arson, with the court emphasizing the seriousness of the offences during sentencing.
