Armed robbery suspects heading for court

THE five suspects involved in an armed robbery in the Omaheke Region last week, plus two taxi drivers and their two co-drivers, will appear in the Gobabis Magistrate’s court tomorrow.

Last week, teamwork between the Omaheke and Otjozondjupa crime investigation teams led to the arrest within 24 hours of five people linked to an armed robbery at a shebeen in Otjinene. During the manhunt, the Police also arrested two taxi drivers and their co-drivers, who are suspected to have been the getaway drivers.In the early hours of Wednesday morning, the robbers had tied a woman down with the electrical cord of a cellphone charger and stolen goods to the value of more than N$40 000.The group fled to Okakarara and Otjiwarongo, where they were arrested. The two taxi drivers are Julius Amunyonge (25) and Napoleon Katumbe (23). Their assistants are Wilhelm Abifai (35) and Agapitus Agapitus (22). According to Deputy Commissioner Moses Khairabeb, the crime coordinator for the Otjozondjupa Region, all nine of the suspects are facing charges related to the armed robbery.He added that the Police are investigating links to other armed house robberies, especially with the evidence of firearms confiscated from the group. Police could link one of the firearms to a weapon stolen from a farm in the Otjozondjupa Region. ‘There is a possibility that they will be charged with additional counts,’ the Deputy Commissioner said yesterday. The nine made their first court appearance in the Otjiwarongo Magistrate’s Court, during which they were ordered to be transferred to the Gobabis holding cells for their next court appearance there.