Iuze Mukube 

Windhoek High Court Judge Philanda Christiaan sentenced former police officer Ricardo Nestor (35) on charges of theft and money laundering to effective five years in prison yesterday. 

The sentencing was handed down after Nestor was found guilty of theft and money laundering of an amount of N$720 000, which he transferred to his personal bank account. 

On the count of theft, he received a seven-year sentence, of which two years were suspended. 

In total, she sentenced him for only five years, as the two charges are of similar nature. 

As such, the charges of money laundering will run concurrently with the charge of theft. 

In January 2020, the accused was arrested and tried on 10 counts and alternative counts, ranging from various charges of corruption, fraud and theft, money laundering, forgery and uttering a  forged instrument, knowing it to be forged. 

The accused had pleaded not guilty on all charges presented against him. 

After a successful Section 174 application for discharge, six of the charges were dismissed, except the theft and money laundering counts. 

While handing down the sentence yesterday, the judge noted that while the accused is a first-time offender, it is not an excuse for the gravity of his crimes, as he “acted with impunity by transferring the stolen funds to various trading accounts”. 

Chiefly, she also stated that the courts hand down sentencing that will act as a preventative and a deterrent to would-be perpetrators. 

-mukubeiuze@gmail.com