Pastor paid fine, three men face stock theft charges

THREE men yesterday made a brief appearance in the Keetmanshoop Magistrate’s Court on charges of stock theft for allegedly stealing 29 goats from a commercial farmer.

They are Willem Kooper (34), Isak Snewe (62) and Andries Jossob (30). Last week, Pastor Gustav Rooi of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Republic of Namibia was arrested on a charge of stock theft after Police recovered 15 of the 29 stolen goats at his farm Langberg, near Koës.The remaining 14 goats, valued at N$21 500, remain at large.Rooi was released on Friday after he paid a fine of N$300 for transporting livestock on his bakkie without a valid transport permit.According to the unit commander of the Keetmanshoop Police’s Serious Crime Unit, Warrant Officer Japie Kruger, Rooi was fined after his charge sheet was altered to transporting livestock without a permit.Kruger declined to say more about this.”To give more information will jeopardise our investigation,” Kruger said.Snewe and Jossob were granted bail of N$2 500 each.Kooper was not granted bail.Public Prosecutor Billy Lutaka noted that Kooper had been involved in three other cases of stock theft in the past.Their case was postponed until March 22 next year.The Stock Theft Amendment Act of 2004 prescribes a prison term of not less than 20 years without the option of a fine for first-time offenders convicted of stealing livestock valued at more than N$500.Last week, Pastor Gustav Rooi of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Republic of Namibia was arrested on a charge of stock theft after Police recovered 15 of the 29 stolen goats at his farm Langberg, near Koës.The remaining 14 goats, valued at N$21 500, remain at large.Rooi was released on Friday after he paid a fine of N$300 for transporting livestock on his bakkie without a valid transport permit.According to the unit commander of the Keetmanshoop Police’s Serious Crime Unit, Warrant Officer Japie Kruger, Rooi was fined after his charge sheet was altered to transporting livestock without a permit.Kruger declined to say more about this.”To give more information will jeopardise our investigation,” Kruger said. Snewe and Jossob were granted bail of N$2 500 each.Kooper was not granted bail.Public Prosecutor Billy Lutaka noted that Kooper had been involved in three other cases of stock theft in the past.Their case was postponed until March 22 next year.The Stock Theft Amendment Act of 2004 prescribes a prison term of not less than 20 years without the option of a fine for first-time offenders convicted of stealing livestock valued at more than N$500.