IT expert acquitted of ECN laptop theft

An information technology specialist accused of stealing five laptop computers from the Electoral Commission of Namibia near the end of 2019 was found not guilty on four criminal charges in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court yesterday.

Magistrate Vanessa Stanley acquitted Milton Louw (53) after the state closed its case in his trial and Louw’s defence lawyer, Dirk Conradie, applied for his discharge on all counts.

Louw was prosecuted on counts of theft, fraud, disguising the unlawful origin of property and perjury in connection with allegations that he stole five laptop computers from the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) near the end of 2019.

The case against him crumbled when the state could not prove that five laptops which Louw used as security to get a loan from the pawn shop, Cash Converters, in Windhoek in October 2018 belonged to the ECN.

The state alleged that Louw stole five laptop computers belonging to the ECN, for which he was doing work on a contract basis, between 18 October 2019 and 16 December 2019.

The state also alleged that Louw defrauded an ECN employee between 26 April and 18 November 2019 by informing her that five laptops belonging to the ECN were to be used during Namibia’s presidential and National Assembly elections in November 2019, whereas he allegedly knew the computers were to be used to secure a loan for himself at Cash Converters.

In addition, it was alleged that Louw disguised the origin of five laptops belonging to the ECN to secure a loan from Cash Converters, and that he committed perjury by making a statement to a police officer in which he declared that he was the lawful owner of the five laptops that he used as security for a loan from the pawn shop.

Louw denied guilt on all charges when his trial began before Stanley on 15 February this year.

Six state witnesses testified during the trial.

The evidence before the court included ECN records showing that Louw booked out laptops belonging to the electoral body during 2019. The laptops’ serial numbers were not recorded in those documents.

Also before the court were documents from Cash Converters that showed Louw provided five laptops, of which the serial numbers were recorded, as security for a loan of N$5 000 on 18 October 2019.

On 7 December 2019, Louw received the five laptops back when he redeemed the loan by paying N$6 326 to Cash Converters, it was recorded in another document submitted to the court.

Public prosecutor Emma Mayavero represented the state.