By: Kelvin Chiringa, Vetondouua Tjivikua
Police Inspector-General Sabastian Ndeitunga says the police are still in the process of recovering the guns that were stolen last year.
Ndeitunga’s comment comes after he confirmed the arrest of a suspect in connection with 90 missing guns last year.
“Namibian police are working with the South African police, and they have sent a team that discovered some of the firearms are part of those stolen at the depot,” said Ndeitunga.
He added that the firearms are linked to those stolen at the depot and said the suspect is a Namibian who now has South African citizenship.
He stated that when the investigations started, they knew that some of those working at the depot might be the prime suspects.
According to Ndeitunga, they planned to gather all the necessary evidence, and they took all those working at the depot into questioning.
He stated that the plan has led to the arrest of the current five officers.
“Some were in possession of firearms that are not among those that we informed the public, but they were in possession of illegal firearms”, Ndeitunga added.
Ndeitunga further said he couldn’t tell what the police officers intended to use the firearms for.
“The evidence that came out is that some were for reselling.”
He expressed that the depot has replaced all employees working there for security purposes.
“We have made sure all the cameras are in the functioning capacity. We have increased more items that are assisting us in making sure the surroundings within the depot are monitored regularly,” he adds.
Some police sources last year told The Villager that a woman had been arrested for the missing guns.
According to the sources, the woman was an officer who was arrested after her neighbours had tipped off the police after she gave them some guns and uniforms to keep.
In November, Ndeitunga told The Villager that he ordered an investigation when he was informed about the missing guns.
Ndeitunga had said the guns were in boxes, and it is not clear whether they were issued out and never recorded or someone stole them.
The Inspector-General had said it could be possible that the guns were taken out one by one at different times.
“It could also be that there is poor record-keeping,” Ndeitunga said.
He had added that he would not want to jump the gun, but he suspects someone could have a duplicate key to the depot where the guns are kept.
Deputy commissioner Kauna Shikwambi had also said an investigation was launched for the arms missing.
Shikwambi told The Villager that the Central Depot was not broken into. However, it was discovered that it was open, and arms and ammunition were missing.
