Security firm boss charged with shooting employee

THE owner of a security company operating throughout the country is awaiting trial for attempted murder after an employee claimed he was forced to flee when his employer shot at him in a public place.

Police Warrant Officer James Matengu last week confirmed to The Namibian that Siegfried Katjitenja, owner of Khomas Security, was arrested on December 29 after being accused by his area manager in Windhoek, Reinhard Jagger, of pointing a gun at him, and firing a shot which missed the employee. According to Jagger, he was on duty on the Thursday morning when he received a call from Katjitenja, who asked for them to meet at the security company’s Katutura office situated in the Woermann Brock building.Upon entering the office, he said, his employer pointed a gun at him, and pulled the trigger at close range.The gun apparently jammed, and when Jagger realised his life was in danger, he ran out of the office.”My mind went blank,” he told the newspaper, “and I just ran to get out of there.”He then heard a shot fired, he said, but did not stop to see what had happened.”I went straight to the Police office and laid a complaint,” Jagger said, adding that since then he has returned to work as normal.His employer was arrested that afternoon, and is currently out on bail of N$800.Asked for his version of the event, Katjitenja said only that Jagger had tried to steal a company vehicle that morning, and that he fired a shot into the air to warn the employee.The case has been postponed until June 15.According to Jagger, he was on duty on the Thursday morning when he received a call from Katjitenja, who asked for them to meet at the security company’s Katutura office situated in the Woermann Brock building.Upon entering the office, he said, his employer pointed a gun at him, and pulled the trigger at close range.The gun apparently jammed, and when Jagger realised his life was in danger, he ran out of the office.”My mind went blank,” he told the newspaper, “and I just ran to get out of there.”He then heard a shot fired, he said, but did not stop to see what had happened.”I went straight to the Police office and laid a complaint,” Jagger said, adding that since then he has returned to work as normal.His employer was arrested that afternoon, and is currently out on bail of N$800.Asked for his version of the event, Katjitenja said only that Jagger had tried to steal a company vehicle that morning, and that he fired a shot into the air to warn the employee.The case has been postponed until June 15.