Suspects in court over Outjo arson case scam

THE three suspects who were arrested last week for allegedly trying to fleece money out of Outjo Town Treasurer Dawid Koen with a promise that they could get rid of the arson case against him are staying in Police custody after making a first court appearance on Friday.

The three suspects – Walter Hoeseb (28), Eric Uirab (34) and Engelhard Honeb (31) – were arrested at Outjo on Wednesday.They appeared in the Outjo Magistrate’s Court on Friday on three main charges of extortion, obstruction of justice, and fraud, as well as an alternative charge of forgery and uttering.The three men are accused of having set up a scam in which Koen was targeted.Koen is facing a charge of arson after the offices of the Outjo Municipality were destroyed by fire on August 17.Nine weeks after being arrested on that charge, Koen was freed on bail of N$30 000 on October 20.According to the Police, someone phoned Koen on October 29 and told him that the case against him could be disposed of if Koen paid an amount of money to the person.The person, who claimed he was employed in the Ministry of Justice, apparently told Koen that if he paid N$50 000 he could get rid of the charge against him.Koen did not fall for the lure, but instead alerted the Police. On Thursday, when he received a visit from someone at his house in connection with the proposal that had been made to him, the Police pounced on the suspected con men who had been targeting him.The three suspects were arrested after the Police found them sitting in a car with Koen. They allegedly had a document on a letterhead of the Office of the Prosecutor General with them.The three charged men have to appear in court again on December 2, after they were told on Friday that they would not be granted bail at this stage.