6 on trial for cop murder, robbery

THE murder and armed robbery trial of a gang accused of killing an off-duty Police officer during a hold-up at a gambling house and bar in Windhoek started in the High Court this week.

More than two years after they allegedly took part in an armed robbery and murder at a bar and gambling house in Okuryangava, Windhoek, all six of the suspects pleaded not guilty to the charges against them on Tuesday. Already in explanations of their pleas, two of the six, Elifas Ndalusha (27) and Jason Miipale Nangombe (33), indicated to Judge Mavis Gibson in the High Court in Windhoek that they were intent on challenging allegations that they had been part of a conspiracy to commit robbery and murder.Defence counsel Lucia Hamutenya, representing both Ndalusha and Nangombe, also informed Judge Gibson that Ndalusha will in particular dispute the admissibility and reliability of an alleged confession by him that formed part of the Police docket on the case.As soon as the first eye witness to the robbery that took place at People’s Inn No.2 Bar and Gambling House had referred to a Police identification parade that he attended after the hold-up, another of the defence lawyers involved in the trial, Bradley Basson, indicated that this evidence was also set to be challenged by the defence.By the time that Basson had raised his objection against evidence over the identification parade, witness Salom Walinga had already identified one of Basson’s clients in the dock, Reinhold Nambahu (26), as one of the armed men that carried out the robbery at People’s Inn No.2 during the early morning hours of May 19 2002.An off-duty Police officer, Andreas John Nghatanga (39), was shot dead during the robbery.He died on the spot from a single gunshot wound to his chest.His heart and both his lungs were struck by the bullet that was fired at him.Nghatanga had been attached to the Police’s VIP guard unit.He was also a former member of the well-known Ndilimani cultural troupe.According to Matheus Mundjanima, the owner of the bar and gambling house, the robbers took some N$44 000 from a safe at his business premises.State witness Walinga, who worked at People’s Inn No.2, testified that one of the robbers that entered the bar that Sunday morning also assaulted him by hitting him on his forehead with a pistol.That robber was Nambahu, Walinga said.One of the few customers in the bar at the time of the robbery, Johannes Engelbrecht, told Judge Gibson on Wednesday that the bar was robbed by three men.There are six suspects on trial.In the dock with Nambahu, Ndalusha and Nangombe, are Elia Avelinu (31), Kristof Shigwedha Andapo (26) and Likius Shafidino (31).Engelbrecht told the court that he could not identify any of the robbers, since everything had happened too quickly during the hold-up.When the robbers left the scene, though, he saw one of them getting into a blue Volkswagen Golf vehicle, which sped off, Engelbrecht claimed.Yesterday a girlfriend of Andapo, Saara Sakeus, testified that Avelinu drove just such a car as a taxi around the time of the robbery.She related that on the evening before the incident, all of the men on trial except Shafidino were gathered at the house where she and Andapo were staying.When Avelinu departed earlier than the other men, he left with the blue Golf taxi that he was driving at the time, she stated.Andapo and Nambahu returned home by about 05h00 on the morning of May 19 2002, Sakeus said.When she asked them where they had been during the night, Andapo replied that they had been to a dry riverbed to bury a shotgun that they had taken from a security guard.The prosecution is alleging that a shotgun was also stolen from the bar during the robbery.Later that same day, Nambahu came to the shop that Sakeus was running, and bought a bottle of wine, Sakeus continued.It cost N$17, and he paid the entire amount with only N$1 coins, she claimed.Earlier the court had heard that a large quantity of N$1 coins, used to operate the gambling machines and pool table at the premises, was stolen in the robbery.Sakeus is set to continue to testify under cross-examination from the defence today.All six accused are in custody.Already in explanations of their pleas, two of the six, Elifas Ndalusha (27) and Jason Miipale Nangombe (33), indicated to Judge Mavis Gibson in the High Court in Windhoek that they were intent on challenging allegations that they had been part of a conspiracy to commit robbery and murder.Defence counsel Lucia Hamutenya, representing both Ndalusha and Nangombe, also informed Judge Gibson that Ndalusha will in particular dispute the admissibility and reliability of an alleged confession by him that formed part of the Police docket on the case.As soon as the first eye witness to the robbery that took place at People’s Inn No.2 Bar and Gambling House had referred to a Police identification parade that he attended after the hold-up, another of the defence lawyers involved in the trial, Bradley Basson, indicated that this evidence was also set to be challenged by the defence.By the time that Basson had raised his objection against evidence over the identification parade, witness Salom Walinga had already identified one of Basson’s clients in the dock, Reinhold Nambahu (26), as one of the armed men that carried out the robbery at People’s Inn No.2 during the early morning hours of May 19 2002.An off-duty Police officer, Andreas John Nghatanga (39), was shot dead during the robbery.He died on the spot from a single gunshot wound to his chest.His heart and both his lungs were struck by the bullet that was fired at him.Nghatanga had been attached to the Police’s VIP guard unit.He was also a former member of the well-known Ndilimani cultural troupe.According to Matheus Mundjanima, the owner of the bar and gambling house, the robbers took some N$44 000 from a safe at his business premises.State witness Walinga, who worked at People’s Inn No.2, testified that one of the robbers that entered the bar that Sunday morning also assaulted him by hitting him on his forehead with a pistol.That robber was Nambahu, Walinga said.One of the few customers in the bar at the time of the robbery, Johannes Engelbrecht, told Judge Gibson on Wednesday that the bar was robbed by three men.There are six suspects on trial.In the dock with Nambahu, Ndalusha and Nangombe, are Elia Avelinu (31), Kristof Shigwedha Andapo (26) and Likius Shafidino (31).Engelbrecht told the court that he could not identify any of the robbers, since everything had happened too quickly during the hold-up.When the robbers left the scene, though, he saw one of them getting into a blue Volkswagen Golf vehicle, which sped off, Engelbrecht claimed.Yesterday a girlfriend of Andapo, Saara Sakeus, testified that Avelinu drove just such a car as a taxi around the time of the robbery.She related that on the evening before the incident, all of the men on trial except Shafidino were gathered at the house where she and Andapo were staying.When Avelinu departed earlier than the other men, he left with the blue Golf taxi that he was driving at the time, she stated.Andapo and Nambahu returned home by about 05h00 on the morning of May 19 2002, Sakeus said.When she asked them where they had been during the night, Andapo replied that they had been to a dry riverbed to bury a shotgun that they had taken from a security guard.The prosecution is alleging that a shotgun was also stolen from the bar during the robbery.Later that same day, Nambahu came to the shop that Sakeus was running, and bought a bottle of wine, Sakeus continued.It cost N$17, and he paid the entire amount with only N$1 coins, she claimed.Earlier the court had heard that a large quantity of N$1 coins, used to operate the gambling machines and pool table at the premises, was stolen in the robbery.Sakeus is set to continue to testify under cross-examination from the defence today.All six accused are in custody.