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Investigations into court burglary finalised

2021-11-24  Maria Sheya

Investigations into court burglary finalised

The police have finalised investigations into the case of three men who are accused of allegedly breaking into the Katutura Magistrate’s Court in July.

Appearing in that court yesterday, Andrew David, Edison Witbooi and Raphael Batista were informed that investigations into their case are complete and the State is ready for them to stand trial. 

Magistrate Olivia van der Colff postponed the matter to 17 February 2022 for the fixing of trial dates.

The group is expected to go on trial on two counts of housebreaking with intent to steal and a count of possession of stolen property respectively.

The accused were arrested on 25 July, following a rigorous search from 24 July when court officials discovered that unknown persons entered the courtyard by climbing over the wall, damaged the glass door and gained access to the entire building. 

Accused further broke into seven offices, where they stole three laptops of magistrates and that of a public prosecutor, as well as one computer monitor and CPU. 

A knife and kettle were found abandoned in the same building corridors during investigations. CCTV footage showed how two unknown men with balaclavas entered the yard. They used chairs in the court corridors to climb on and damage the office’s windows, where they gained entrance.

Police reports at the time stated the suspects broke into the court building on 24 July and returned the following day. 

An operation was carried out, but the suspects could not be traced nor apprehended. However, in the early hours of 25 July, the police, who were still at the scene after a patrol of Windhoek’s streets, saw a man on the roof of the courthouse, attempting to flee.

During the accused’s first court appearance, David informed the court that his co-accused, Witbooi and Batista were only buyers of the goods.

David and his co-accused are all on bail ranging from N$1 500 to N$3 000. 

-mamakali@nepc.com.na


2021-11-24  Maria Sheya

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