Keetmanshoop
Two police officers, along with three civilians, appeared in Mariental Magistrate’s Court on Monday to answer charges of stock theft. The two officers – both sergeants by rank – were allegedly caught red-handed with an Isuzu double-cab loaded with 12 sheep.
The officers were arrested at the turn leading to Hardap dam on Friday night, while the civilians suspected to be involved were arrested on Saturday.
The accused officers, Festus Kauure, 40, and Gideon Karumendu, 34, appeared before Magistrate Eugene Libebe, along with Desmond Jonker, 21, Hennie Jonker, 16, and Elzido Jonker, 18, who are believed to be workers at the farm in the Kalkrand area where the sheep were allegedly stolen from.
All the suspects were denied bail and their case was postponed to August 9 for further police investigations and to enable the accused to apply for legal aid. The two officers are normally stationed at Mariental, with one employed at the second-hand goods registration unit and the other at the scene of crime investigation unit.
It is not the first time that police officers are implicated in stock-theft in the Hardap Region. Last year two officers, with the assistance of two civilians were nabbed in a similar case after allegedly attempting to steal 12 sheep with a police vehicle from a farm in the Hoachanas area. The attempted theft failed after the suspects were spotted by the farm owner. The culprits hurriedly fled the scene, reportedly throwing the sheep out of the car as they sped off.