New date set for start for cops’ theft trial

THE case in which two of the Namibian Police’s most senior officers, Commissioners Lotti Uusiku and Joseph Kamati, have faced charges of theft since March last year was last week rescheduled to proceed to trial in mid-May next year.

Uusiku (49) and Kamati (50) were informed of the new starting date for their trial when they made another appearance in the Windhoek Regional Court on Wednesday. With their first appearance in the Regional Court in early February, the starting date of their trial had been set for July 17, but – as is more often than not the current pattern in Namibia’s justice system – the beginning of the trial has since then been deferred again, with May 13 to 15 now set as the dates for the trial.Uusiku and Kamati made first appearances in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court on a charge of theft in late March last year.Uusiku eventually was suspended from his post as the head of the Police’s Special Branch, while Kamati was suspended from his position as the head of the Police’s Finance Division in June last year.The Prosecutor General has since then given instructions that they should face charges of theft in the Regional Court, with Uusiku to be prosecuted on four charges and Kamati facing three counts.The charges relate to alleged thefts committed between August 2005 and March last year.In the first charge, which Uusiku alone is facing, it is alleged that he stole N$12 000 from the Police.On the other three counts, which the two officers face jointly, it is alleged that they stole amounts of N$500, N$700 and N$600 respectively.It was previously reported that the two men were suspected of having stolen money out of subsistence and travel allowances (S&T), informers’ rewards and bail money under their control.Uusiku’s appearance with Kamati before Magistrate Sarel Jacobs last week was his second in the Regional Court in less than a week.The previous Friday, he also appeared before Magistrate Jacobs in a case in which he is facing charges of driving under the influence of intoxicating liquor, refusing to submit to the taking of a blood sample for a blood-alcohol test to be done, and reckless or negligent driving.Those charges flow from an incident in which a vehicle driven by Uusiku is alleged to have been involved in collision with a taxi in Independence Avenue in Katutura at about 18h45 on May 8 last year.It is alleged that Uusiku at first refused to be arrested, that he refused to do a breath alcohol test, and also refused to allow Police officers to have a blood sample taken from him to determine the level of alcohol in his blood.A sample was eventually taken, it is claimed.When it was tested, Uusiku’s blood alcohol level was measured at 0,21 grams per 100 millilitres of blood, it is claimed.The legal limit is 0,08g/100ml.That case against Uusiku has been postponed to April 21 next year for trial.Uusiku and Kamati are free on bail of N$2 000 each in the theft case.Uusiku is free on a warning from the court in the drunken driving case.With their first appearance in the Regional Court in early February, the starting date of their trial had been set for July 17, but – as is more often than not the current pattern in Namibia’s justice system – the beginning of the trial has since then been deferred again, with May 13 to 15 now set as the dates for the trial.Uusiku and Kamati made first appearances in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court on a charge of theft in late March last year.Uusiku eventually was suspended from his post as the head of the Police’s Special Branch, while Kamati was suspended from his position as the head of the Police’s Finance Division in June last year.The Prosecutor General has since then given instructions that they should face charges of theft in the Regional Court, with Uusiku to be prosecuted on four charges and Kamati facing three counts.The charges relate to alleged thefts committed between August 2005 and March last year.In the first charge, which Uusiku alone is facing, it is alleged that he stole N$12 000 from the Police.On the other three counts, which the two officers face jointly, it is alleged that they stole amounts of N$500, N$700 and N$600 respectively.It was previously reported that the two men were suspected of having stolen money out of subsistence and travel allowances (S&T), informers’ rewards and bail money under their control.Uusiku’s appearance with Kamati before Magistrate Sarel Jacobs last week was his second in the Regional Court in less than a week.The previous Friday, he also appeared before Magistrate Jacobs in a case in which he is facing charges of driving under the influence of intoxicating liquor, refusing to submit to the taking of a blood sample for a blood-alcohol test to be done, and reckless or negligent driving.Those charges flow from an incident in which a vehicle driven by Uusiku is alleged to have been involved in collision with a taxi in Independence Avenue in Katutura at about 18h45 on May 8 last year.It is alleged that Uusiku at first refused to be arrested, that he refused to do a breath alcohol test, and also refused to allow Police officers to have a blood sample taken from him to determine the level of alcohol in his blood.A sample was eventually taken, it is claimed.When it was tested, Uusiku’s blood alcohol level was measured at 0,21 grams per 100 millilitres of blood, it is claimed.The legal limit is 0,08g/100ml.That case against Uusiku has been postponed to April 21 next year for trial.Uusiku and Kamati are free on bail of N$2 000 each in the theft case.Uusiku is free on a warning from the court in the drunken driving case.