Final remand for ex-prosecutor’s trial

The Windhoek Regional Court last week gave a final remand for the trial of a former prosecutor, who is facing criminal charges for allegedly scrapping charges from the court system nearly 15 years ago.
Anthony Wilson, alongside his co-accused Kennedy Thiongo Kasume, were scheduled to go on trial last week before magistrate Alexis Diegaardt. 

However, prosecutor Fillemon Nyau informed the court Wilson’s defence lawyer Jan Wessels was engaged in the High Court.
Thus, the court postponed the matter to 18 March 2021, making it a final postponement for the trial to start. 
The trial has been postponed numerous times due to legal aid issues.
Wilson, who resigned as a public prosecutor in 2016, is expected to be tried on 10 charges, ranging from theft of a charge sheet, corruptly using his office for personal gain, fraud by misrepresenting the magistrate and corruptly using false documents.  
His co-accused Kasume will be tried for allegedly conspiring with another person to commit the offence of using office or position to obtain gratification.

The charges stem from February 2005 at the time when Wilson was a public prosecutor, stationed at the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court in Lüderitz Street.
The prosecution is alleging Wilson used his position, having access to police criminal dockets, to steal a charge sheet. It is alleged he withdrew criminal charges levelled against Kasume. 

In pretence, Wilson informed magistrate Vanessa Stanley in a court session that the complainant in Kasume’s case had written a letter of withdrawal, stating he wanted to have the charges against Kasume withdrawn. 
It is alleged he did the same thing in the case of Alex Kagasheka, who had opened a case against Kasume.  
The prosecution is further alleging Wilson used the Office of the Prosecutor General by instructing the police to have Kasume’s car that was repossessed by the State as an exhibit to be returned to him.

Using the same pretence, Wilson was allegedly able to have criminal proceedings of theft against Kasume discontinued by having the Namibian Police discontinue the docket with reasons it was a civil matter.
Both accused are currently on bail.
- mamakali@nepc.com.na