THE Criminal Investigation Department of the Police at Grootfontein has been hit hard by the suspension of three of its members who now face criminal charges alleged to be corruption-related.
Of the Grootfontein CIDs complement of 11 investigators, three are now suspended. These include Constable Ismael Lungameni, who is said to be one of the units most successful detectives.Lungameni (38) and two fellow Constables, Idi Leonard Hoa-Khaob (28) and Humphry Mwala Muyoba (35) made a first appearance in the Grootfontein Magistrates Court on Thursday.All three were arrested on the same day.Their cases – three in all – were postponed to December 9 for further investigations.They were released on a warning to return to court in three months.Lungameni and Hoa-Khaob face two charges – counts of defeating or obstructing the course of justice, and forgery and uttering – together in one of the trios three cases.In another matter, Hoa-Khaob is charged with corruption.In a third case, Muyoba has been charged with corruption and defeating or obstructing the course of justice.The head of the Namibian Polices Public Relations Unit, Deputy Commissioner Hophni Hamufungu, said yesterday that two of the Constables, understood to be Lungameni and Hoa-Khaob, are accused of releasing a suspect in a motor vehicle theft case after falsely filling out documentation that he was not connected to the case, whereas there was no evidence to show that he was not being implicated.It is alleged that this happened after they had been supposed to take the suspect to Otavi for a court appearance, which they did not do.Instead, they allegedly pretended that they had while they completed the documentation leading to the suspects release, Hamufungu said.He added that another of the three is suspected of having released an impounded suspected stolen vehicle and of having destroyed a case docket in a motor vehicle theft case, leading to the acquittal of an alleged car thief.The vehicle in question was later impounded again by the Police at Okakarara, Hamufungu said.The Police Complaints and Discipline Unit is continuing to investigate the matters, according to Hamufungu.These include Constable Ismael Lungameni, who is said to be one of the units most successful detectives.Lungameni (38) and two fellow Constables, Idi Leonard Hoa-Khaob (28) and Humphry Mwala Muyoba (35) made a first appearance in the Grootfontein Magistrates Court on Thursday.All three were arrested on the same day.Their cases – three in all – were postponed to December 9 for further investigations.They were released on a warning to return to court in three months.Lungameni and Hoa-Khaob face two charges – counts of defeating or obstructing the course of justice, and forgery and uttering – together in one of the trios three cases.In another matter, Hoa-Khaob is charged with corruption.In a third case, Muyoba has been charged with corruption and defeating or obstructing the course of justice.The head of the Namibian Polices Public Relations Unit, Deputy Commissioner Hophni Hamufungu, said yesterday that two of the Constables, understood to be Lungameni and Hoa-Khaob, are accused of releasing a suspect in a motor vehicle theft case after falsely filling out documentation that he was not connected to the case, whereas there was no evidence to show that he was not being implicated.It is alleged that this happened after they had been supposed to take the suspect to Otavi for a court appearance, which they did not do.Instead, they allegedly pretended that they had while they completed the documentation leading to the suspects release, Hamufungu said.He added that another of the three is suspected of having released an impounded suspected stolen vehicle and of having destroyed a case docket in a motor vehicle theft case, leading to the acquittal of an alleged car thief.The vehicle in question was later impounded again by the Police at Okakarara, Hamufungu said.The Police Complaints and Discipline Unit is continuing to investigate the matters, according to Hamufungu.
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