By Tunomukwathi Asino
WINDHOEK – Rosalia Shipepe was acquitted on a charge of theft by Magistrate Johannes Shuuveni in the Regional Court in Katutura last Thursday.
Shipepe faced a charge of theft with another person who was discharged at the closure of the State’s case.
Shipepe stood accused of stealing N$174 501 from Woermann Brock in 2011.
She pleaded not guilty to the charge.
She did not reveal the basis of her defence and expected the State to prove each and every allegation.
During the trial Shipepe vehemently denied that she was responsible for the missing money.
She explained the reason she did not turn up for work on February 28, 2011 was simply because she had already tendered her resignation on February 2.
“In the final analysis, I am not persuaded that the evidence before court has proven that the accused in this case is the one who committed the offence. I have doubt,” Shuuveni said when delivering his judgement.
“The explanation given by the accused could be reasonably possibly true. I have no reason to reject her version. The conclusion is that the State has failed to prove beyond all reasonable doubt that the accused committed the offence. She is therefore found not guilty and acquitted,” ruled the magistrate.
Elrico Otto Jansen testified that during 2011 he was employed at the Woermann Brock Hochland shop as a trainee assistant manager.
He testified that Shipepe was employed by outsourced company Jesaja Lot Merchandizing, in which case she was attached to the Woermann Brock Hochland shop where she was a supervisor for all the cashiers.