Some courtroom stories involve claims of ghosts that sound straight out of a supernatural thriller. Johannes Claasen, a 39-year-old man from Namibia, claimed that two gay ghosts were involved in the stabbing of his girlfriend and their baby daughter. But when his case reached court, the evidence told a much darker story.
A Christmas Day Attack and a Bizarre Explanation
According to The Namibian, Claasen was found guilty of murder, attempted murder, and assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm by High Court judge Dinnah Usiku.
The case dates back to Christmas Day 2020, when Claasen fatally stabbed his 28-year-old girlfriend, Ridensia Rolinda Lamberth. Their 11-month-old daughter was also stabbed but survived.
Claasen claimed that while asleep, he found himself between two gay ghosts, one of whom allegedly made sexual advances toward him. He said he fought back, only to realize afterward that he had stabbed Lamberth instead of the ghost. The supposed ghosts, he claimed, had disappeared.
It’s an extraordinary explanation, but the court had more than his account to consider.
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The Evidence That Mattered
According to The Namibian, a psychiatrist who assessed Claasen suggested that he may have been experiencing a sleep-related condition called “rapid eye movement sleep disorder with automatism,” which can cause people to physically act out their dreams. Based on this assessment, the psychiatrist argued that Claasen should not be held legally accountable for the stabbing.
Other mental health experts who evaluated Claasen reached a different conclusion, determining that he was mentally fit to face trial and could be held responsible for his actions.
Judge Usiku gave greater weight to testimony from Lamberth’s seven-year-old daughter. The child said she saw Claasen take a knife from beneath the mattress and place it under his pillow before the attack. Although she did not witness her mother’s stabbing, she testified that she later saw him stabbing her baby sister.
The court also heard evidence of previous violence against Lamberth, including an incident that left her with a black eye.
The Verdict Is In
The court ultimately rejected Claasen’s defense and found him guilty on all three charges.
While the “gay ghosts” claim may be the detail that grabs headlines, the case is ultimately about a woman who lost her life, a baby who survived a stabbing, and testimony about violence that reportedly preceded the attack.
According to The Namibian, Claasen was scheduled to return to court on October 21, 2026, for a pre-sentencing hearing. The “gay ghosts” explanation may remain baffling, but the court’s decision rested on the evidence presented at trial.