Usakos-Karibib ‘terror’ cases postponed again

COURT cases related to a spate of criminal activities on several farms in the Usakos and Karibib area in 2002 – including the murder of a German tourist – were again postponed last week for the Prosecutor General’s decision.

According to the Police investigating officer, the PG wants to combine the cases as several of the accused were allegedly involved in all cases. As a result, he has had to send back the dockets for further investigation.The murder case was on Wednesday postponed to October 27 in the Usakos Magistrate’s Court.Stefanus Kosmos Johannes (20) and Simon Shaanika (27) appeared in court for the murder of German tourist Renate Gruber.They are also accused of shooting Gruber’s husband in the legs when he tried to drive away from an ambush set up outside Usakos in September 2002.The third accused, George Ananias Natangwe (22), is still at large after he escaped from the Karibib Magistrate’s Court in April last year.The Police said they were still working on his case.In the other case on Tuesday, Shaanika and Abraham Iyambo (25) appeared in the Karibib Magistrate’s Court on two counts of attempted murder, the pointing of a firearm and three charges of theft and robbery with aggravating circumstances for a spate of criminal activities carried out at three farms.One of the cases involved two Dutch tourists that the two escapees robbed at gunpoint.Natangwe also stands accused in this case.Iyambo, who also escaped from custody at the Karibib court in November last year, is currently serving a sentence for escaping from lawful custody.The case was postponed to October 26.The Police said the Prosecutor General would hopefully have a final decision when the cases are heard in October.As a result, he has had to send back the dockets for further investigation.The murder case was on Wednesday postponed to October 27 in the Usakos Magistrate’s Court.Stefanus Kosmos Johannes (20) and Simon Shaanika (27) appeared in court for the murder of German tourist Renate Gruber.They are also accused of shooting Gruber’s husband in the legs when he tried to drive away from an ambush set up outside Usakos in September 2002.The third accused, George Ananias Natangwe (22), is still at large after he escaped from the Karibib Magistrate’s Court in April last year.The Police said they were still working on his case.In the other case on Tuesday, Shaanika and Abraham Iyambo (25) appeared in the Karibib Magistrate’s Court on two counts of attempted murder, the pointing of a firearm and three charges of theft and robbery with aggravating circumstances for a spate of criminal activities carried out at three farms.One of the cases involved two Dutch tourists that the two escapees robbed at gunpoint.Natangwe also stands accused in this case.Iyambo, who also escaped from custody at the Karibib court in November last year, is currently serving a sentence for escaping from lawful custody.The case was postponed to October 26.The Police said the Prosecutor General would hopefully have a final decision when the cases are heard in October.