WALVIS BAY – The two people accused of stealing N$4.3 million in uncashed cheques and cash from various companies here were once again denied bail during their second appearance in the Walvis Bay Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.
Sylvester Kopani, a security guard and Calvin Benenai Chinkhombe, a Malawian witchdoctor appeared in front of Magistrate Andre Multulch with no lawyer to represent them and had their case remanded to February 10 for further investigation and legal representation. The two were arrested in December last year when crack detective work by Nampol in the Erongo Region uncovered the theft of N$4.3 million leading to their arrest. At the time of their arrest Kopani was employed by Namibia Protection Services (NPS). It is believed that he is the mastermind behind the theft. He allegedly stole N$1.8 million in cash and N$2.5 million in cheques when he collected safety boxes from six businesses in Walvis Bay on behaldf of NPS destined for various banks in December. Prior to the theft Kopani apparently booked out a firearm, drove out of the company’s premises without saying a word and also left his co-driver and assistant at the office. The car was later found abandoned at the police station in town and Kopani was nowhere to be found afer collecting cash from Shoprite, AutoZone, Erongo Red, Metro Cash and Carry, Namibian Housing Enterprise (NHE) and the Inland Revenue Service at the coast. However, he was arrested in Walvis Bay two days following the alleged theft at a flat believed to be that of the witchdoctor.
The Malawian witchdoctor was arrested at the Wenela border post in the Zambezi Region days after Kopani’s arrest, while trying to cross into Zambia with N$809 000 in cash. To date police have recovered N$1.78 million, including the N$809 000 from the witchdoctor. The rest of the money and all the cheques were confiscated from Kopani. About N$11 686 remains unaccounted for, while it also emerged that both suspects spent an unspecified amount of money on their girlfriends.
By Eveline de Klerk