Illegal guns hidden in ceiling
Bail was denied to a hunting farm owner in the Otjiwarongo Magistrate’s Court yesterday, who is charged with six counts of being in possession of unlicensed and illegal firearms and ammunition.
Police discovered a trove of military equipment and memorabilia at his farm in the Otjozondjupa Region last week.
Georg Engelhard, 49, a registered professional hunter, made his first court appearance, following a police raid at his farm Georg-Ferdinandshöhe, situated near Kalkfeld, last week Thursday.
He is the fifth farmer arrested in this regard.
Following a search of the property, he was charged with two counts of being in possession of a firearm without a licence, and one for the illegal possession, import and supply of a machine gun, in addition to three counts of possession of ammunition.
NamPol Chief Inspector for Crime Investigation in Otjiwarongo, Katrina Andreas, told Namibian Sun yesterday that the police found an unlicensed R1 assault rifle, modified with a scope, which was welded on. The rifle was discovered wrapped in a windsock, and hidden in an attic of the house, she explained.
Furthermore, four magazines were discovered with the assault rifle.
In addition, two unlicensed rifles were found, which the accused reportedly said friends and family had given to him.
Police also found 276 rounds of different types of ammunition, some stuffed into a duffel bag, which did not match any of the firearms in the house, Andreas said.
Upon further investigation, two huge containers were discovered, which the police at first thought were coolers.
However, it was later established that they were in fact mobile military communications containers, which were also confiscated.
The confiscated materials included a military trunk filled with South-West Africa Territorial Force (SWATF) uniforms, in addition to a variety of military gear, including binoculars and scopes.
State prosecutor Johannes Nunuheb yesterday asked the court to deny bail for at least another two weeks, for further investigations.
Divisional Magistrate William Kasitomo remanded the case to 7 July and advised Engelhard of his right to launch a formal bail application.
Lawyer Jan Wessels, who is appearing for the accused, was not in attendance yesterday, but confirmed that a formal bail application will be brought before 7 July.
Engelhard’s matter brings the number of cases of farmers facing similar offences to five in just four months in the region, a police officer confirmed yesterday. Andreas repeated a call for Namibians in possession of unlicensed or illegal firearms and ammunition to surrender these items to the police as soon as possible, to avoid arrest.
In the case of voluntary surrender, the police will not open a case.
Andreas added that the high number of arrests in the past few months were all the result of tip-offs to the police.
“It’s not that we are targeting these cases, the informing reaches us and we have to act,” she said.
JANA-MARI SMITH
Police discovered a trove of military equipment and memorabilia at his farm in the Otjozondjupa Region last week.
Georg Engelhard, 49, a registered professional hunter, made his first court appearance, following a police raid at his farm Georg-Ferdinandshöhe, situated near Kalkfeld, last week Thursday.
He is the fifth farmer arrested in this regard.
Following a search of the property, he was charged with two counts of being in possession of a firearm without a licence, and one for the illegal possession, import and supply of a machine gun, in addition to three counts of possession of ammunition.
NamPol Chief Inspector for Crime Investigation in Otjiwarongo, Katrina Andreas, told Namibian Sun yesterday that the police found an unlicensed R1 assault rifle, modified with a scope, which was welded on. The rifle was discovered wrapped in a windsock, and hidden in an attic of the house, she explained.
Furthermore, four magazines were discovered with the assault rifle.
In addition, two unlicensed rifles were found, which the accused reportedly said friends and family had given to him.
Police also found 276 rounds of different types of ammunition, some stuffed into a duffel bag, which did not match any of the firearms in the house, Andreas said.
Upon further investigation, two huge containers were discovered, which the police at first thought were coolers.
However, it was later established that they were in fact mobile military communications containers, which were also confiscated.
The confiscated materials included a military trunk filled with South-West Africa Territorial Force (SWATF) uniforms, in addition to a variety of military gear, including binoculars and scopes.
State prosecutor Johannes Nunuheb yesterday asked the court to deny bail for at least another two weeks, for further investigations.
Divisional Magistrate William Kasitomo remanded the case to 7 July and advised Engelhard of his right to launch a formal bail application.
Lawyer Jan Wessels, who is appearing for the accused, was not in attendance yesterday, but confirmed that a formal bail application will be brought before 7 July.
Engelhard’s matter brings the number of cases of farmers facing similar offences to five in just four months in the region, a police officer confirmed yesterday. Andreas repeated a call for Namibians in possession of unlicensed or illegal firearms and ammunition to surrender these items to the police as soon as possible, to avoid arrest.
In the case of voluntary surrender, the police will not open a case.
Andreas added that the high number of arrests in the past few months were all the result of tip-offs to the police.
“It’s not that we are targeting these cases, the informing reaches us and we have to act,” she said.
JANA-MARI SMITH
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