Maria Amakali
Windhoek-Six men accused of a gangster-style robbery earlier this year involving more than N$700,000 have pleaded not guilty to the charges of robbery and theft.
Jafet Ekandjo, 40, Johannes Kambonde, 28, Nehale Gabriel, 31, Simeon Nangolo 28, Laurentius Iipinge, 30, and Nghilivali Johannes, 28, told the court this week that they were not guilty of robbery with aggravating circumstances.
The group, who made their appearance on bail before Magistrate Michelle Kubersky in Windhoek Magistrate’s Court in Katutura on Wednesday opted to take their preliminary plea without their legal representatives present.
Ekandjo and his co-accused decided not to give any explanation for their pleas, saying they would first consult their attorneys. Kubersky informed the group, which has no legal background, that the 119 plea they took was a preliminary one.
She added that their docket will then be forwarded to the prosecutor-general to decide if they are to be prosecuted or not and if so where they are to stand trial.
The group is accused of having masterminded the robbery outside the Pick n Pay complex in Katutura in February.
Puma service station employees were on their way to deposit money at a local bank when a gang of armed gunmen ambushed them. The six are said to have assaulted Genevieve Mireille in the attack and allegedly fled with N$700,000 in cash.
Ekandjo and his co-accused are reported to have used a black sedan without number plates as getaway car, but were later apprehended.
So far, the police have managed to recover only N$80,000 of the stolen money.
Magistrate Kubersky postponed the matter to March 22, 2018 for the prosecutor general’s decision, warning the accused to be at court on that date.