Ex-detective jailed for N$60 000 bribery scheme

Former Walvis Bay detective Jafet Simon has been sentenced to two years in prison after being found guilty of taking part in a failed N$60 000 bribery scheme to influence a state prosecutor in a human trafficking and rape of a minor case.

Walvis Bay Regional Court magistrate Vicky Nikolaidis handed down the sentence on Friday after earlier finding Simon guilty under the Anti-Corruption Act.

The case stems from a 2018 prosecution in which Pakistani national Farhan Khatri and two Namibian women were charged with human trafficking and the rape of a minor in Walvis Bay.

Khatri and the two women were eventually convicted and sentenced to 20 years in prison.

At the centre of Simon's corruption case was an alleged attempt to influence prosecutor Tresia Hafeni to either have the criminal case withdrawn or secure the return of Khatri’s passport so he could leave the country.

'Informal investigation'

The court heard Simon, who was the investigating officer in the case, became involved in communications and meetings between Khatri and Hafeni.

Evidence showed that a N$60 000 bribe was allegedly offered to interfere with the criminal case.

Half of the money was allegedly handed to Hafeni at her home, after which she promptly informed her superiors and the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).

The court heard that the ACC subsequently launched a controlled sting operation.

The remaining N$30 000 was later delivered to Hafeni’s office at the regional court.

Simon brought the money in a brown envelope and received Khatri’s passport before being arrested by the ACC as he left the office.

Simon denied acting corruptly and maintained throughout the trial that he had attempted to investigate the matter himself after he allegedly became suspicious.

He argued that he was trying to catch both Khatri and Hafeni in the act and claimed he merely facilitated their interactions as part of an informal investigation.

Nikolaidis rejected that version.

“You admit to most of the events but deny that you acted corruptly, and I find that your actions, once this corruption came to your knowledge, totally contrasted with Hafeni’s actions,” the magistrate said.

Public betrayed

Nikolaidis noted that Hafeni immediately informed authorities and cooperated with the ACC, while Simon failed to report the matter, document evidence or initiate any formal police process.

“Your actions make me wary of your story and your version,” Nikolaidis said during judgment, before convicting him on the bribery charge.

Simon was also charged with defeating or obstructing the course of justice but was acquitted on that count.

During sentencing proceedings, the State argued that Simon’s conduct constituted a serious breach of public trust, given his role as an experienced police officer tasked with upholding justice.

Prosecutors argued that corruption by law enforcement officials undermines public confidence in the administration of justice and warrants direct imprisonment.

Defence lawyer Albert Titus argued for a fine or suspended sentence, pointing to Simon’s status as a first-time offender and the more than three years he spent in pre-trial custody before eventually being granted bail.

The defence further argued that Simon did not personally benefit financially from the scheme and merely facilitated the transaction on behalf of Khatri.

The court, however, ultimately imposed a direct custodial sentence of two years.