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Suspected Möwes murderers behind bars
By: JAN POOLMANTHE Namibian Police have made a breakthrough in the murder of the 60-year-old Joseph Siegfried Möwes of the farm Emmabron in the Dordabis district, who was killed earlier this month.
On June 7 an armed robbery turned into a tragedy when the robbers fired four shots at Möwes. Two bullets hit him in the stomach and he died on his way to hospital.
Last week, with the assistance of the public, three suspects were arrested in Windhoek.
Deputy Commissioner Sylvanus Nghishidimbwa, the crime coordinator of the Khomas Region, told The Namibian that all three were arrested in Windhoek.
“The one was arrested last Thursday, the second one the next day and the third one on Saturday morning. There are still three to four of them at large but we are close to more arrests.”
According to Nghishidimbwa it was clear that the motive behind the murder was robbery, adding that the suspect did not expect that the farmer would leave the house to investigate why his dogs were barking.
The open wardrobes and cupboards, the farmer’s rifle lying untouched in the sitting room, and clothes and papers scattered all over the house also signified that the robbers were only after money.
The suspects made off with an empty cashbox from the shop. The only money they could find was less than N$5 000 found in the house. The safe and petty-cash box were found in the veld the same day.
“We have also confiscated the getaway car which was used during the evening of the murder. It is also clear that the suspects had a good idea of the farm setup and this is an indication that at least one of them worked for the late Möwes previously,” said Nghishidimbwa.
The executive manager of the NAU, Sakkie Coetzee, praised the Police for the good work done in arresting the three suspects.
He said the union had a discussion with the Police about two weeks ago and again called for a sound relationship between the Police and the crime prevention forums established at some towns.
“Many farmers and community members serve on these forums and could be of assistance to the Police in case of murders. That is why it is important for the Police to have a close relationships with the forums,” Coetzee said.
Nghishidimbwa called on the public to provide information to enable them to arrest the suspects still at large.The three suspects will appear in court today.
