Two admit guilt in Style armed robbery

Two of the three men accused of an attempted armed robbery at a Style clothing store in Swakopmund have admitted guilt.Hosian Hadimbi (38), William Sheehama (30) and Andreas Mathias (32) appeared before magistrate Conchita Olivier at the Swakopmund magistrate’s court on Wednesday, with public prosecutor Anita Likius representing the State.A case of robbery with aggravated circumstances has been brought against the trio. Pleas given Hadimbi (accused number one) and Mathias (accused number three) indicated to the court that they would conduct their own defence and pleaded guilty to the charge.Shihama (accused number two) indicated that he would apply for legal aid and entered a plea of not guilty.Responding to questions from the magistrate, Hadimbi admitted that he had "entered the premises without permission and pointed a gun at the persons in the shop."Sheehama also confirmed that he "entered the premises without permission, had an axe in my possession, and forced the persons inside the shop into submission."Mathias will only address the court in the presence of his yet-to-be assigned lawyer.Investigation continuesDuring proceedings, magistrate Olivier informed the accused of their rights and explained that they had been charged with committing robbery with aggravating circumstances.Prosecutor Likius opposed bail, saying it would not be in the interest of the public or the course of justice. “We want to look into the criminal backgrounds of the accused, and they should be remanded in custody.”Oliver informed the accused that the case would be placed for preliminary plead proceedings and referred to the Office of the Prosecutor General for a decision.PraiseAccording to the police, the three men, armed with a gas pistol and panga, entered the Style clothing store on Monday morning last week. “They closed the door, threatened the employees (six staff members, including a manager), and demanded money. In the process, one of the employees acted smartly and notified the local police. The members responded promptly and arrested the three suspects on the spot.”Police commander for community affairs in the Erongo Region, Inspector Ileni Shapumba, applauded the police officers for their prompt response and commended the fast action of the staff member who notified the local police on time.He also urged community members to stay alert and remain extra vigilant. “Crime trends of robberies occurring at shops show that most cases are committed either during the morning hours following a busy weekend or late in the afternoon.”The case has been postponed to 6 December.

Two admit guilt in Style armed robbery

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Namibian Sun 2026-07-15

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Two admit guilt in Style armed robbery

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Namibian Sun 2026-07-15

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