Two in court over Unam computer theft

TWO high-level University of Namibia staff members have appeared in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court on a charge of theft after they were allegedly caught trying to remove computers belonging to Unam from the university campus.

Professor Geoffrey Elifadhi Kiangi (49), Unam’s Pro-Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Research, and Kaggere Suresh (42), an Indian citizen who is the Manager of the university’s Computer Centre, appeared before Magistrate Sarel Jacobs on a charge of theft on Tuesday afternoon. They had been arrested earlier the same day.Both men were suspended from their posts at the university on Monday, after campus security staff allegedly caught them trying to remove computer equipment belonging to the university from its premises late on Friday afternoon.The two have been implicated in the theft of twelve computers, valued at about N$70 000, the university claimed in a statement on the matter on Monday.Lawyer Slysken Makando represented the two men during their appearance in court.By agreement with the prosecution, Magistrate Jacobs granted each of them bail of N$7 000, on condition that they have to surrender all their travel documents to the Police officer investigating their case, that they may not interfere with the Police investigation, that they must report to the investigating officer each Wednesday, and that they may not leave the district of Windhoek without the investigating officer’s permission.Kiangi and Suresh have to appear in court again on August 22.Their case was postponed to that date for further investigation.They had been arrested earlier the same day.Both men were suspended from their posts at the university on Monday, after campus security staff allegedly caught them trying to remove computer equipment belonging to the university from its premises late on Friday afternoon.The two have been implicated in the theft of twelve computers, valued at about N$70 000, the university claimed in a statement on the matter on Monday.Lawyer Slysken Makando represented the two men during their appearance in court.By agreement with the prosecution, Magistrate Jacobs granted each of them bail of N$7 000, on condition that they have to surrender all their travel documents to the Police officer investigating their case, that they may not interfere with the Police investigation, that they must report to the investigating officer each Wednesday, and that they may not leave the district of Windhoek without the investigating officer’s permission.Kiangi and Suresh have to appear in court again on August 22.Their case was postponed to that date for further investigation.