OTJIWARONGO: Two suspects were on Monday arrested by the Namibian Police Force (NamPol) in connection with the murder of a Namibian Defence Force (NDF) member who was shot dead here over the weekend.
Otjozondjupa Regional Police Commander, Commissioner Joseph Anghuwo said in an interview on Monday the suspects have criminal cases, including charges of murder and armed robberies committed at Otjiwarongo lodges, pending against them. The Otjiwarongo residents aged 28 and 16 are both out on bail.
“We arrested them at a certain house in the Telecom informal settlement at around 13h00,” he said.
The suspects will appear in the Otjiwarongo Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.
They are linked to the death of Epafras Joy De Celestino, an NDF corporal officer who was shot dead on Saturday in D Useb Street behind People’s Corner Complex in the Orwetoveni residential area.
NamPol’s Otjozondjupa Regional Crime Investigations Coordinator, Moses Khairabeb told Nampa on Sunday that the deceased had been walking alone when he was attacked.
The two armed men allegedly approached De Celestino and demanded to search his pockets.
“It seems De Celestino refused to be searched and one of the robbers then pulled out a pistol and shot him dead at close range. He was shot twice – in the chest and right arm – before he died on the spot,” Khairabeb explained.
The police on Monday recovered a cellphone valued at over N.dollars 1 700 which was stolen from the deceased, as well as a 7.65 caliber pistol which was used in the shooting.
When Nampa visited the Otjiwarongo Police Station on Monday afternoon, police officers were busy interrogating the two suspects.
According to police investigation officer, Detective Sergeant Linus Neliwa the suspects confessed during the interrogations that they stole a cellphone and N.dollars 30 in cash from the deceased.
“They sold the cellphone for N.dollars 100 and several bottles of beer costing N.dollars 50,” said Neliwa.
The Commander of the NDF Otjiwarongo Army Base, Major Simson Shintama said De Celestino was a permanent corporal officer at the Rooikop NDF Military Base in Walvis Bay in the Erongo Region.
He was however sent to the Otjiwarongo army base three years ago to study at a local mechanical institution here.
De Celestino was born at Rupara in the Kavango Region.