Monument fire-starter suspect held

POLICE at Khorixas have arrested a 31-year-old woman in connection with a fire that guttered offices at the Petrified Forest National Monument near the town last month.

The suspect, Juletha Doeses, was a contract worker at the National Heritage Council of Namibia (NHC) at the time. She was arrested on a charge of arson, and was not granted bail at her first court appearance.In January, NHC director Karl Aribeb told The Namibian that the fire destroyed the NHC’s administrative block, a kiosk, and a community craft outlet in a separate block.The fire was also said to have destroyed all the NHC’s records that were kept at the offices.Police have said that Doeses confessed to the crime.Sources have speculated that the arson might have been related to an investigation into the theft of money at the NHC’s offices, but neither the Police nor Aribeb could confirm this.”I can confirm that there was an investigation going on, but I don’t know yet if there was any link,” Aribeb told The Namibian.He said he would first have to go through the charge sheet and see what Doeses has revealed in her confession before commenting on the likelihood of the fire being related to their investigation.Police Warrant Officer James Matengu told The Namibian that a Police investigation had determined arson was the cause of the fire.The Heritage Council had earlier offered a reward of N$5 000 to anyone who could provide information on the cause of the fire.She was arrested on a charge of arson, and was not granted bail at her first court appearance.In January, NHC director Karl Aribeb told The Namibian that the fire destroyed the NHC’s administrative block, a kiosk, and a community craft outlet in a separate block.The fire was also said to have destroyed all the NHC’s records that were kept at the offices.Police have said that Doeses confessed to the crime.Sources have speculated that the arson might have been related to an investigation into the theft of money at the NHC’s offices, but neither the Police nor Aribeb could confirm this.”I can confirm that there was an investigation going on, but I don’t know yet if there was any link,” Aribeb told The Namibian. He said he would first have to go through the charge sheet and see what Doeses has revealed in her confession before commenting on the likelihood of the fire being related to their investigation.Police Warrant Officer James Matengu told The Namibian that a Police investigation had determined arson was the cause of the fire.The Heritage Council had earlier offered a reward of N$5 000 to anyone who could provide information on the cause of the fire.