Staff Reporter
Windhoek-The Namibian police (Nampol) have had a relatively successful week, in which it managed to recover more than N$760,000 stolen by armed robbers over the past week.
“A number of armed robberies were reported to the Namibian Police Force and within a short period of time 90 percent of the perpetrators were arrested and their loot was recovered,” said Namibian police spokesperson Deputy Commissioner Edwin Kanguatjivi.
The total recovered currently stands at N$763,093.88 for the robberies that transpired in the month of November alone, which has had its fair share of such incidents in a spate of high stakes heists and armed robberies.
Notable incidents include an amount of N$1.87 million stolen from a Chinese businessman from Ondangwa at Sun Square Shopping Mall earlier this month. The day after that Nautwima Jafet Pashukeni, 29, was arrested in connection with the robbery.
Pashukeni was found in possession of cash amounting to N$7,511 and seven wrappers with cannabis. On the same day Fillemon Nghishikushitya Hamukoto, 29, and Jonas Naftali Tangi, 23, were also arrested in connection with the million-dollar robbery. Hamukoto and Tangi were found in possession of N$251,125 in cash. N$258,636 has now been recovered and a fourth suspect is still on the run.
Three suspected robbers were also arrested in connection to the robbery at Katutura Nampost, Independence Avenue Branch, where staff and the security guard were held at gunpoint. The robbers got away with N$320,000.
By Monday, the police had recovered N$487,320 only 12 hours after armed robbers robbed a G4S cash in transit vehicle at West Lane Shopping Complex, Pioneers Park Extension 1 in Windhoek. According to the police, the robber got away with N$487,320 before they were apprehended. Six foreign nationals have been arrested and have appeared in court already.
Kanguatjivi said five suspects were also apprehended for robbing a Chinese national on Saturday of valuable goods and cash in the amount of N$500,000. “The getaway vehicle, as well as another vehicle – a BMW bought with the proceeds from the crime – was retrieved, including cash in the amount of N$75,000,” he said.