Cop nabbed for ‘bribe’

A 20-YEAR-OLD Police officer finds himself on the wrong side of the law after allegedly soliciting a bribe from South African tourists.

Constable Willem Hansen was arrested at the Brakwater roadblock outside Windhoek on Friday after demanding N$600 from the elderly couple.Hansen allegedly told them that the licence of their rental car had expired. After paying him the money, the couple left the roadblock and proceeded to Windhoek to return the vehicle.They informed the lessor about the incident who then took them back to the roadblock to confront the officer.The allegedly expired permit only lapses today, Inspector Kauna Shikwambi, a Police spokesperson, said yesterday.Hansen was interrogated and arrested when he could not provide an explanation for what he did.Shikwambi said he returned the money to the tourists.During his brief appearance in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court on a charge of corruption yesterday, Hansen was granted bail of N$800.The case was postponed to June 15 for Hansen to obtain legal representation.He was detained at the Police holding cells at Hosea Kutako International Airport over the weekend.Shikwambi yesterday warned the public to ‘under no circumstances’ pay any money to any individual officer. ‘If and when any person has committed any offence – be it a traffic violation or any other crime whatsoever – such payment should be paid to the Magistrate’s Office or Police station, for which a valid receipt should be issued. This is very unbecoming behaviour.’