By Mbatjiua Ngavirue
WINDHOEK
The Namibian Police mounted extra police guards at the Katutura Magistrates’ Courts over the weekend following Friday’s burglary.
Acting Chief Magistrate Desmond Beukes, this week, said he had requested extra guards because the courts were without an alarm system over the weekend after it was disabled by burglars.
Beukes also confirmed that there were no further burglary attempts at the courts over the weekend.
When approached for comment, Minister of Justice and Attorney-General Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana this week said it was premature to comment on the burglary.
She, however, said she had requested an urgent report on the circumstances surrounding the burglary at the courts.
By late Monday afternoon, the alarm system at the Magistrates’ Courts was still out of order with the air conditioning – apparently linked to the alarm – also still not functioning.
Beukes said he requested guard reinforcements from the station commander at Katutura Police Station who passed the request on to the Namibian Police’s Installations Unit.
The Installations Unit has increased the number of guards patrolling the court buildings to three.
Sources at the court say the police guards are also now considerably more active, regularly patrolling the perimeter of the court grounds.
Beukes further disclosed that meetings with concerned departments are scheduled for next week to discuss further beefing up security at the Katutura Magistrates’ Courts and other court buildings.
The burglars got away with two computer keyboards, two computers and a printer.
There is strong speculation among court staff, and even evidence, to suggest the real motive behind the burglary was to destroy evidence in a specific criminal case(s).
The National Housing Enterprise District Labour Court case was apparently on the acting Chief Magistrate’s desk at the time and escaped the burglars’ attention, according to one well-placed source.
Court officials have reported the damage to the alarm system to the Ministry of Works, Transport and Communication so it can identify a private contractor to carry out repair work.
Before it appoints a contractor however, a prosecutor still has to obtain a case number from the Namibian Police following the burglary charge laid with the police.