KARIBIB – The Namibian Police in the Erongo Region arrested four men who impersonated police officers and robbed elderly couples at their homes situated about 30km outside Karibib.
The four suspects were arrested after an intensive investigation was carried out by the Criminal Investigating Unit of Nampol in the Erongo and Khomas regions over the weekend and the suspects appeared in the Karibib Magistrate’s Court yesterday.
The 33-year-old Albert Kahembe, 26-year-old David Oiva, 28-year-old Junias Ipinge and 29-year-old Elias Amos were all denied bail.
Their case was postponed to March 26 for further police investigations and to enable them to acquire legal representation.
During a media briefing on Monday afternoon in Karibib, the Erongo Region Police Commander, Commissioner Festus //Hoebeb explained what happened.
“Two of them were fully dressed in police uniforms, while one had on a police reflector jacket and the fourth was dressed in normal clothes,” //Hoebeb said.
According to //Hoebeb, the four told a couple they were from Nampol’s firearm division and needed to search the house for any illegal firearms.
“They went through the house and forced the couple onto their farm, Kanona …. The suspects seized a pistol and an automatic handgun. The suspects then went back to Karibib and tied up the couple and proceeded to the couple’s neighbours’ house where they took a 9mm pistol, jewellery, N$2 000, two laptops, two phones, an unspecified amount of money as well as a bag of semi-precious stones,” //Hoebeb explained.
The couple managed to free themselves and reported the matter to Nampol in Karibib who immediately conducted a manhunt for the suspects.
“During our sting operation we managed to arrest two suspects in Karibib who are believed to be sub-contractors at the Navachab gold mine,” he said.
The third suspect was traced to Okahandja with the assistance of the Windhoek police and arrested on Saturday while the last suspect was arrested in Windhoek on Sunday.
//Hoebeb went on to say that they are also currently investigating the involvement of the four suspects in a series of criminal activities involving police impersonators that recently occurred in the north.
By Eveline de Klerk