Cop charged with murder for shooting taxi driver

A SERGEANT attached to the Namibian Police’s Motor Vehicle Theft Unit, Fillipus Hafeni Kamati, appeared on a charge of murder in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court in Katutura yesterday.

Kamati (40) has been charged in connection with the fatal shooting of a taxi driver, Elifas Nankudi (31), in the capital on Wednesday. He made his first court appearance on the murder charge before Magistrate Rachel Nathaniel.The Magistrate postponed Kamati’s case to Monday, despite the objections of his lawyer, Sisa Namandje, who had wanted to bring an urgent application for Kamati to be released on bail yesterday already.Kamati will now remain in custody until his next court appearance, which will be for the purpose of bringing a bail application.He stands accused of killing Nankudi in sight of onlookers during a early-morning altercation – possibly sparked by road rage – in front of the main entrance gate to the Ramatex textile factory in Otjomuise in Windhoek on Wednesday.It is claimed that the argument that escalated into the shooting was caused when Nankudi stopped his taxi in front of the factory entrance in such a manner that he blocked Kamati’s way.A fight allegedly broke out between Kamati, helped by another taxi driver, and Nankudi.After the other taxi driver had left the scene, Nankudi allegedly approached Kamati’s vehicle to confront him again.Kamati’s reaction was to draw out his Police service pistol and to shoot Nankudi in the head, it is alleged.A large number of Nankudi’s relatives attended yesterday’s court proceedings.Kamati and Namandje also took note of their presence, with Namandje telling the Magistrate that his client had complained that the relatives had paid a visit to him at the court’s holding cells to demand that he should see to it that Nankudi’s body was transported to the north, and that he should pay for a coffin for Nankudi.Namandje asked the Magistrate to order them to stay away from Kamati.He made his first court appearance on the murder charge before Magistrate Rachel Nathaniel.The Magistrate postponed Kamati’s case to Monday, despite the objections of his lawyer, Sisa Namandje, who had wanted to bring an urgent application for Kamati to be released on bail yesterday already.Kamati will now remain in custody until his next court appearance, which will be for the purpose of bringing a bail application.He stands accused of killing Nankudi in sight of onlookers during a early-morning altercation – possibly sparked by road rage – in front of the main entrance gate to the Ramatex textile factory in Otjomuise in Windhoek on Wednesday.It is claimed that the argument that escalated into the shooting was caused when Nankudi stopped his taxi in front of the factory entrance in such a manner that he blocked Kamati’s way.A fight allegedly broke out between Kamati, helped by another taxi driver, and Nankudi.After the other taxi driver had left the scene, Nankudi allegedly approached Kamati’s vehicle to confront him again.Kamati’s reaction was to draw out his Police service pistol and to shoot Nankudi in the head, it is alleged.A large number of Nankudi’s relatives attended yesterday’s court proceedings.Kamati and Namandje also took note of their presence, with Namandje telling the Magistrate that his client had complained that the relatives had paid a visit to him at the court’s holding cells to demand that he should see to it that Nankudi’s body was transported to the north, and that he should pay for a coffin for Nankudi.Namandje asked the Magistrate to order them to stay away from Kamati.