City robbery suspects no strangers to justice system

TWO of the armed robbery suspects arrested by the Namibian Police and Windhoek City Police after an alleged foiled cash heist in the city on Monday were released on bail in previous robbery cases only a few months ago.

For armed robbery suspects Christiaan Edward and Tuhafeni Kakololo, the situation they found themselves in yesterday – in court under Police guard, in the dock, and facing a charge of robbery with aggravating circumstances – must have been a familiar experience. Edward (41), alias ‘Kierie’, and Kakololo (37) appeared before Magistrate Sarel Jacobs in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court with a co-accused, Christian Antonio (38).The three were arrested by the Police after they had allegedly planned to rob a cash-in-transit vehicle at a service station in Klein Windhoek.They called off their plan when they might have got wind that Police officers, who had been tipped off about the plan, had them under surveillance.Two suspected illegal firearms – pistols of which the serial numbers had allegedly been filed off – were found in the possession of the three suspects when their vehicle was stopped near the service station and they were arrested.According to Detective Chief Inspector Oscar Sheehama, the Commanding Officer of the Police’s Serious Crime Unit, Kakololo was released on bail pending an appeal against a previous conviction for armed robbery and attempted murder in August last year.Kakololo was sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment after he had been convicted of those crimes in the Windhoek Regional Court in late March 2001.Windhoek’s Tre Supermarket was targeted in that previous robbery, during which robbers stole N$160 000 in cash.The money was never recovered.Edward, too, has a long history of intimate acquaintance with Namibia’s criminal justice system.In early December last year, he was granted bail of N$1 500 in the Windhoek Regional Court in an armed robbery and attempted murder case in which he and three co-accused face charges over a robbery at Tjitandi Supermarket a Okahandja in late September 2003.In that incident, robbers stole cash of N$60 000 from the shop during an armed hold-up.Edward is also wanted in connection with another six cases involving charges of armed robbery and illegal possession of firearms at Eenhana, Windhoek, Wanaheda and Katutura, Sheehama added.Edward has experienced both successes and failures in past encounters with Namibia’s courts.One of the failures came his way at the end of March 2000, when he was convicted in the Windhoek Regional Court of robbery with aggravating circumstances, and sentenced to an effective two years in prison.Only a week earlier, he had notched up a major success in the High Court, however, when he and four co-accused in an armed robbery and murder trial over the killing of a Swakopmund businessman during an armed hold-up that was carried out at the coastal town in February 1997 were all acquitted.In that trial, the prosecution claimed its evidence included a confession by Edward and some self-incriminating statements from some of his co-accused – but these were ruled inadmissible by the court after defence lawyers objected that the suspects had not been properly informed of their right to legal representation, and that they had been assaulted and threatened by Police officers to force them to make a statement.A co-accused of Edward in both that trial and the Windhoek Regional Court trial in which Edward was to be convicted and sentenced a week later, was the late Thomas Nandjebo, also known as ‘Bob Green’.He died in a hail of Police bullets in a shootout after an armed robbery in which a Police officer was killed at Ongwediva in November 2003.During the trio’s appearance yesterday, Public Prosecutor Marilize Willemse told the Magistrate that the State would oppose the granting of bail to them because they also have other cases pending against them.On Willemse’s request, Magistrate Jacobs remanded the three men in custody when he postponed their case to May 17 for further investigation and for them to apply for legal aid.Edward still tried to ask the Magistrate to release him on bail.”No bail,” was the only reply that he got from the bench.Edward (41), alias ‘Kierie’, and Kakololo (37) appeared before Magistrate Sarel Jacobs in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court with a co-accused, Christian Antonio (38).The three were arrested by the Police after they had allegedly planned to rob a cash-in-transit vehicle at a service station in Klein Windhoek.They called off their plan when they might have got wind that Police officers, who had been tipped off about the plan, had them under surveillance.Two suspected illegal firearms – pistols of which the serial numbers had allegedly been filed off – were found in the possession of the three suspects when their vehicle was stopped near the service station and they were arrested.According to Detective Chief Inspector Oscar Sheehama, the Commanding Officer of the Police’s Serious Crime Unit, Kakololo was released on bail pending an appeal against a previous conviction for armed robbery and attempted murder in August last year.Kakololo was sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment after he had been convicted of those crimes in the Windhoek Regional Court in late March 2001.Windhoek’s Tre Supermarket was targeted in that previous robbery, during which robbers stole N$160 000 in cash.The money was never recovered.Edward, too, has a long history of intimate acquaintance with Namibia’s criminal justice system.In early December last year, he was granted bail of N$1 500 in the Windhoek Regional Court in an armed robbery and attempted murder case in which he and three co-accused face charges over a robbery at Tjitandi Supermarket a Okahandja in late September 2003.In that incident, robbers stole cash of N$60 000 from the shop during an armed hold-up.Edward is also wanted in connection with another six cases involving charges of armed robbery and illegal possession of firearms at Eenhana, Windhoek, Wanaheda and Katutura, Sheehama added.Edward has experienced both successes and failures in past encounters with Namibia’s courts.One of the failures came his way at the end of March 2000, when he was convicted in the Windhoek Regional Court of robbery with aggravating circumstances, and sentenced to an effective two years in prison.Only a week earlier, he had notched up a major success in the High Court, however, when he and four co-accused in an armed robbery and murder trial over the killing of a Swakopmund businessman during an armed hold-up that was carried out at the coastal town in February 1997 were all acquitted.In that trial, the prosecution claimed its evidence included a confession by Edward and some self-incriminating statements from some of his co-accused – but these were ruled inadmissible by the court after defence lawyers objected that the suspects had not been properly informed of their right to legal representation, and that they had been assaulted and threatened by Police officers to force them to make a statement.A co-accused of Edward in both that trial and the Windhoek Regional Court trial in which Edward was to be convicted and sentenced a week later, was the late Thomas Nandjebo, also known as ‘Bob Green’.He died in a hail of Police bullets in a shootout after an armed robbery in which a Police officer was killed at Ongwediva in November 2003.During the trio’s appearance yesterday, Public Prosecutor Marilize Willemse told the Magistrate that the State would oppose the granting of bail to them because they also have other cases pending against them.On Willemse’s request, Magistrate Jacobs remanded the three men in custody when he postponed their case to May 17 for further investigation and for them to apply for legal aid.Edward still tried to ask the Magistrate to release him on bail.”No bail,” was the only reply that he got from the bench.