Maria Amakali
Windhoek
Jonas Simon Mbangu, a security guard who ran off with half a million dollars last year, has admitted guilt.
Mbangu, 41, said he stole so that he could provide shelter for his children.
Making his preliminary plea before Magistrate Vanessa Stanley last week, Mbangu took a guilty plea to the charge of theft.
“I took the money because someone had called telling me that they were selling a house. So, I took the money so [that] I can buy a house for my children,” said Mbangu during his plea explanation.
The prosecution is charging Mbangu with theft for allegedly intentionally stealing N$556,134 on August 14, 2017.
Mbangu informed the court that he only realised later that what he had done was wrong. “I did not think about it at the time. I did not think it would be a problem,” explained Mbangu.
He was arrested after his employer grew suspicious of his disappearance. At the time of his arrest, Mbangu was employed at a local security firm as a security officer. Part of his duties was to collect money from various business outlets for banking purposes within the vicinity of Otjiwarongo.
According to police reports at the time, Mbangu failed to return to work after his routine pick up. He allegedly failed to deliver the money and instead opted to flee with the cash. The police found the company car abandoned in the northern part of Windhoek with Mbangu nowhere in sight.
Upon his arrest, the police found Mbangu in possession of the money sealed in three plastic bags. It is alleged that he had only used N$400 of the money that he attempted to steal. It is suspected that he was headed to the northern parts of the country.
Having taken his preliminary plea, Mbangu was informed that the state would summarise his docket for it to be forwarded to the Prosecutor General for decision.