WINDHOEK: The Magistrate’s Court here has on Wednesday granted bail to all four men implicated in an alleged robbery case involving N.dollars 2,2 million that took place at Klein Windhoek in May this year.
The four alleged robbery suspects Michael Shidiwe, 53, Eliaser Amukoto, 50, Nestor Kashuupulwa, 34, and the 32-year-old Mupopiwa Mupopiwa were each granted bail by Windhoek Magistrate Ingrid Lerato Unengu at the end of their formal bail application this morning.
Windhoek businessman Shidiwe and Eros resident Amukoto was each granted a bail of N.dollars 20 000.
The two officers in the Namibian Police Force (NamPol), Kashuupulwa and Mupopiwa were each granted a bail of N.dollars 5000.
The of the four men was granted without any bail condition attached to it.
‘As per evidence presented before court during the hearing of the formal bail application, there was no prima facie case made out by the State (prosecution) against the applicants that warrants the refusal of the granting of bail to the four applicants. There is no evidence placed before this court that the applicants were either part of the alleged gang of people that robbed the complainant, ‘explained the presiding officer (Magistrate).
In conclusion, the Magistrate said that the prosecution placed no factual basis before court for the refusal of the bail to the applicants.
‘Therefore, applicants Shidiwe and Amukoto are each granted a bail of N.dollars 20 000. The remaining two applicants, who are both police officers, are each granted a bail of N.dollars 5000, ‘ said Magistrate Unengu as she granted bail.
Meanwhile, when Nampa left the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court along Luderitz Street at about 10h00 this morning, family members, relatives and friends of the four accused persons were already seen making arrangements for the payment of the bail.
The group, together with local businessman Josia Muhongo, 54, who is number one in the alleged robbery case, returns to the same court on 21 September 2012 as police investigations into the alleged robbery case were still at an initial stage.
Windhoek-based businessman Muhongo was granted bail of N.dollars 30 000 by Magistrate Jarmaine Muchali on Monday last week.
The five men were all arrested by members of the police force last month and earlier this month after they were accused of robbing a Lebanese-born resident of Canada, Vicken Kaprelian, of about N.dollars 2,2 million in Klein Windhoek on 16 May this year.
The five men are each facing a charge of robbery and an aletrnative charge of theft.
Earlier reports carried by local English daily The Namibian newspaper had it that Kaprelian was allegedly robbed by a group of men who, while pretending to be police officers, stormed into a house in Klein Windhoek.
The Canadian resident was supposedly negotiating a business deal there, and the alleged robbers are said to have stolen the N.dollars 2,2 million from the foreign national.
Local lawyers Advocate Gerson Hinda, Sisa Namandje and Nuncia Sikongo are representing the four men in the bail application.
Deputy Prosecutor-General Jackson Kuutondokwa assisted by Public Prosecutor Taodago Gaweseb appeared for the State.