N$29K disappears from cops' safe
The trial of a Congolese man, arrested in January last year, is still going nowhere after more than N$29 000 of monies confiscated from him, disappeared from police safekeeping.
The case of a 20-year-old Congolese charged with being in possession of counterfeit cigarettes and N$38 131 suspected to have been generated from tobacco sales was on Friday postponed to 24 November.
Otjiwarongo Regional Magistrate Marilize du Plessis postponed the case to November because the accused, Banny John Kabiena's State funded legal defence lawyer, Kenneth Siyambango, was absent from court for Kabiena to plead.
The matter has been a mess since Kabiena's arrest on 7 January 2016 in a joint operation between the police and officials of the customs and excise. He was found in possession of counterfeit Yes and Remington cigarettes together with cash of N$38 131 suspected to be proceeds from the tobacco sales.
Kabiena appeared in court shortly after his arrest last year and posted bail of N$2 000.
Some 20 months later, on 2 October 2017, his case was expected to begin in the Otjiwarongo Regional Court together with the collected physical evidence as exhibits in court.
However, on that day, the police failed to present the money and cigarettes to court which were allegedly found with Kabiena during his arrest.
Magistrate Du Plessis then postponed the case to 3 October 2017 to allow the State and police to bring to court the exhibits.
The police on 3 October, again failed to bring the exhibits.
Du Plessis referred the hearing to 6 October this year, but still the police could not bring any of the exhibits.
On 6 October, the police told the magistrate that they discovered that about N$29 950 of the total N$38 131 was missing from their safe.
Du Plessis then ordered the State and police to bring the exhibits to court on 27 October, but the case was again postponed to 24 November 2017 as the defence lawyer was absent from court. Prosecuting the case is Johanna Hamunyela.
Meanwhile, it is still unknown as to how the money went missing from the safe at the Otjiwarongo police station which is surrounded by surveillance cameras.
Chief customs and excise officer, Abraham Nandjembo told Nampa in an interview that his office is keeping the missing cigarettes.
On his part, the police's Otjozondjupa regional commander, Commissioner Heinrich Tjiveze on 20 October said his team had launched an investigation into the missing money.
NAMPA
Otjiwarongo Regional Magistrate Marilize du Plessis postponed the case to November because the accused, Banny John Kabiena's State funded legal defence lawyer, Kenneth Siyambango, was absent from court for Kabiena to plead.
The matter has been a mess since Kabiena's arrest on 7 January 2016 in a joint operation between the police and officials of the customs and excise. He was found in possession of counterfeit Yes and Remington cigarettes together with cash of N$38 131 suspected to be proceeds from the tobacco sales.
Kabiena appeared in court shortly after his arrest last year and posted bail of N$2 000.
Some 20 months later, on 2 October 2017, his case was expected to begin in the Otjiwarongo Regional Court together with the collected physical evidence as exhibits in court.
However, on that day, the police failed to present the money and cigarettes to court which were allegedly found with Kabiena during his arrest.
Magistrate Du Plessis then postponed the case to 3 October 2017 to allow the State and police to bring to court the exhibits.
The police on 3 October, again failed to bring the exhibits.
Du Plessis referred the hearing to 6 October this year, but still the police could not bring any of the exhibits.
On 6 October, the police told the magistrate that they discovered that about N$29 950 of the total N$38 131 was missing from their safe.
Du Plessis then ordered the State and police to bring the exhibits to court on 27 October, but the case was again postponed to 24 November 2017 as the defence lawyer was absent from court. Prosecuting the case is Johanna Hamunyela.
Meanwhile, it is still unknown as to how the money went missing from the safe at the Otjiwarongo police station which is surrounded by surveillance cameras.
Chief customs and excise officer, Abraham Nandjembo told Nampa in an interview that his office is keeping the missing cigarettes.
On his part, the police's Otjozondjupa regional commander, Commissioner Heinrich Tjiveze on 20 October said his team had launched an investigation into the missing money.
NAMPA
Comments
Namibian Sun
No comments have been left on this article