Helvy Shaanika
Ongwediva-Police in the Ohangwena Region have arrested three men including an employee of an oil transporting company who were caught red-handed stealing petrol from an oil tanker.
It is alleged the 44-year-old driver of an oil truck departed from Tsumeb and was due to deliver petrol to Oshinanena Service Station in Eenhana when he stopped at Omahenge village, where he met with his co-accused.
A businessman who was on his way to Eenhana became suspicious of an oil truck parked in the bush.
Upon close inspection he saw the group of four men filling up drums and containers of petrol from the tanker.
He then called the police.
All four suspects including the truck driver fled the scene, abandoning the truck and the Toyota pickup that was used to collect the oil.
Oil drums and small containers were found at the scene.
The truck driver and the 38-year-old driver of the Toyota pickup were arrested soon after they fled the scene.
A case of theft was opened against them and they are due to appear in court today.
Two more suspects are still on the run and the policeare requesting the public’s assistance in tracing them.
Police spokesperson for Ohangwena Region Abner Kaume Iitumba confirmed the incident.
According to him, the driver works for Extreme Customer Cleaning Services and was transporting the fuel from Vivo Energy in Tsumeb.
Oshinena Service Station belongs to Ohangwena Regional Governor Usko Nghaamwa.
Furthermore, the police are trying to trace a Toyota Rav4 that was stolen from Omafo village in Ohangwena Region yesterday.
While the information surrounding the disappearance of the vehicle is still sketchy, Itumba said there is suspicion the vehicle might have been smuggled into Angola.
“There seems to be a market for Rav4 and Dankie Botswana in Angola because they are hardly stolen and kept in Namibia. But we can not really confirm that this Rav4 is indeed in Angola, but that is what we are suspecting right now,” said Itumba