WINDHOEK – Four men accused of housebreaking and theft, after they allegedly stole from the Namibia Protection Services (NPS) on November 30 made their first appearance in the Katutura Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.
The accused are Hendrik Mukoko (37), Samuel Gaogaseb (45), Ashley Eiseb (23) and Matheus Mukoko. The four stand accused of stealing a safe containing N$244 000 in cash and N$82 000 in cheques from NPS in a daring armed robbery that took place at Otjiwarongo last Saturday. During their appearance on Tuesday, the matter was remanded to the Otjiwarongo Magistrate’s Court, and will proceed on January 24 2014. They were denied bail, since the prosecution represented by Anthony Wilson pointed out that the men are a definite flight risk. Matheus Mukoko and Eiseb also appeared in the Katutura Magistrate’s Court on Monday facing a separate charge of robbery. The two are suspected to be part of a gang of four men, who allegedly assaulted and robbed a 66-year-old pensioner Helmut Goldbeck on November 21 at Olumbo farm in the district of Windhoek. They were arrested following a high-speed chase on the Okahandja-Windhoek road. Media reports indicate that the suspects were spotted when they made a u-turn before they reached the road traffic checkpoint north of Windhoek at around 06h00 on Monday.
Police suspect the four were returning from Otjiwarongo to Windhoek. Two of the suspects were shot and wounded, before they were arrested. Police Inspector Stephan Nuuyi was quoted in the media saying that two of the suspects abandoned the vehicle and fled into the bushes with police officers in hot pursuit. The two who had been wounded remained in the vehicle. The third suspect was found hiding behind a tree after reinforcement had been called in, Nuuyi said. According to him the fourth suspect was traced later the same day and another unlicensed fire arm with ammunition and an amount of N$39 000 was recovered. The stolen security marked vehicle was allegedly recovered along the B-1 road near a chicken farm, where it was hidden in a thicket, while the safe, with all the money and cheques were recovered along the Omitara gravel road where it was hidden.
Another firearm, suspected to have been stolen from the Goldbeck family, was also recovered together with false police number plates, a prodder, and five parcels (bricks) of cannabis. Goldbeck was allegedly battered during the armed robbery by gunmen who were posing as police officers at his farm in Omitara. The men made away with firearms, cellphones and an undisclosed amount of cash from Goldbeck’s safe. Goldbeck has been hospitalized with serious injuries.
By Tunomukwathi Asino