Russian national Alexander Krylov and his Namibian counterpart Anna Katrina Engelbrecht pleaded not guilty to 42 counts of rape and child trafficking in addition to a charge of supplying minors with cigarettes before Windhoek High Court acting Judge Claudia Claasen yesterday.
Krylov (57) is facing 26 counts of rape and Engelbrecht five for alternatively having intercourse with a minor, while each of them is facing 11 counts of trafficking in children.
Both accused answered not guilty upon each and every count.
Their lawyer Marinus Scholtz confirmed the pleas and informed the judge he will prepare a plea explanation in which his clients will make certain admissions.
However, he said, given the fact that the 29-year-old Engelbrecht was not feeling well and he still has to explain some of the charges with his clients, he asked for a remand until today.
The trial is set to run until 14 February.
Engelbrecht, who was reportedly in a relationship with Krylov, allegedly recruited the five victims, aged between 15 and 16, for Krylov and brought them to him for alleged sexual intercourse.
Krylov is a marine pilot at Namport and was apparently out at sea while the case was being investigated before his arrest.
It is alleged Krylov committed the sexual acts with the five girls during the period of 2016 until June 2017.
Three of the victims are pupils at Swakopmund and Walvis Bay schools, while two are school dropouts.
Krylov, also known as ‘Sir Alex’, was arrested in October 2017 at Walvis Bay after a month’s investigation was launched by the Namibian police.
His alleged sexual crimes, however, came to light in September after a parent of one of the minors noticed her daughter had been going missing for several days without a valid explanation.
The girl later confessed that Krylov picked them up at Kuisebmond and took them to his flat in town, where they allegedly engaged in various sexual acts during the weekend.
Krylov, who has been living in Namibia for the past 15 years, has admitted to paying N$100 to the girls in exchange for sex.
He also said he was not aware at the time that the girls were underaged.
According to him, he met the girls through his co-accused and was told they were all above 16 years of age.
Krylov was also arrested in 2008 for allegedly kidnapping four minor girls who were playing in a street in Kuisebmond.
He was alleged to have driven the girls to a nearby service station, where he was seen buying them sweets.
However, swift action from vigilant residents, who spotted him on several occasions with young girls, tipped off the police, who then followed his vehicle and arrested him.
He was granted bail of N$1 000 at the time, but the case against him was later withdrawn.
Both Krylov and Engelbrecht are free on a warning.
rrouth@nepc.com.na
Pic: Krylov
Caption
Court battle… Alexander Krylov and Anna Katrina Engelbrecht
Photo: Eveline de Klerk