Absence of CCTV footage delays N$700,000 armed robbery probe

Home International Absence of CCTV footage delays N$700,000 armed robbery probe

Maria Amakali

Windhoek-The investigative officer in the N$700,000 heist case has assured the court that investigations into the case will be finalised within the next two months.

Warrant Officer Vatilifa is the investigative officer in the case in which 40-year-old Jafet Ekandjo, Johannes Kambonde, 28, Nehale Gabriel, 31, Simeon Nangolo, 28, Laurentius Iipinge, 30, and Nghilivali Johannes, 28, are accused of having robbed employees of Puma Service Station at gunpoint in February.

The six suspects are said to have walked away with N$700,000 in cash.
Vatilifa explained to the court that the CCTV footage was yet to be obtained from the Namibian police forensics experts, as they are yet to extract the necessary footage. Vatilifa was called to give an explanation why investigations were not yet finalised.

“Officials from Katutura scene of crime, who took pictures of the crime scene, have guaranteed me that they will be done in a month or two,” explained Vatilifa. According to him, the delay in obtaining witness statements from police officers, photos and video footage are all due to unforeseen circumstances emanating from printers.

Ekandjo and his five co-accused are facing charges of robbery and assault all in connection to the robbery outside the Pick n Pay complex in Katutura, which took place while the service station employees were on their way to deposit money at a local bank.
The six are said to have assaulted Genevieve Mireille on that day and allegedly managed to escape using a black sedan without a number plates, but were later apprehended.

According to the police, only N$80,000 of the money was recovered.
Although the investigative officer had objected to the accused being granted bail before, on the grounds that the investigation was at an early stage, he had a change of heart stating that since the investigations were nearing an end, he was no longer objecting to having the accused men released on bail.

All six were then released on bail ranging from N$6,000 to N$10,000 with normal bail conditions attached. Ekandjo and his co-accused are expected to make their next court appearance on September 27.