‘Okahandja 5’ killed in city police car booked by top cops

Senior Windhoek City Police and Namibian Police officials allegedly booked the use of a City Police vehicle for a police informant to transport five suspects who were later gunned down by law enforcement officers at Okahandja last year.

The police informant is allegedly the sixth suspect who escaped the shooting and appears to have collaborated with the police to trap the five deceased: Erikki ‘Akawa’ Martin, Abed Andreas, Marius Ipinge, Malaika Kotokeni and Flavianus Endjala.

The latest revelation adds a new twist to the shooting of men whose killings are suspected to be a deliberate plot by the police.
Now, it has emerged that top city police and Namibian Police bosses are deeply entangled in the matter.

People familiar with the case told The Namibian a senior Namibian Police and top city police official facilitated the booking of the vehicle used in the robbery attempt. The car was reportedly handed to one of the suspects, who managed to escape the police shoot-out. This suspect is believed to have collaborated with the implicated police officials.

Last year, the police announced that five suspects were killed and the sixth escaped from the scene.

A person familiar with this matter said: “The one who ran away was working together with the police”.

Windhoek City Police head Leevi Ileka declined to comment.

“This matter is under investigation, hence I am not at liberty to comment on it.”

Namibian Police inspector general Joseph Shikongo referred The Namibian to the city police.

“Ask the city police. They are not under me,” Shikongo said.

HAUNTED

The killing of the suspects, now known as the ‘Okahandja Five’ has come to haunt the police, particularly amid mounting pressure from Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters (NEFF) economic commissar Michael Amushelelo, who is accusing the police of covering up the case.

In a media statement yesterday, Shikongo said two critical statements that were pending in the investigation of the case have been obtained, leaving only one witness statement pending.

“Additionally, the sixth suspect in the matter was located, almost six months after the incident and his statement was also obtained. Thus far, 51 statements under oath were obtained, including 14 supporting documents,” he said.

Shikongo said laboratory results have been finalised and the docket is expected to be submitted to the prosecutor general (PG) by next Tuesday for consideration.

NO POLICE LINK ON COMALIE DRUG BUST

Regarding the allegations implicating some police officers as corrupt and forming part of a plot to plant drugs in National Petroleum Corporation of Namibia (Namcor) board chairperson Jennifer Comalie’s car, Shikongo said there was no evidence that police officers were involved.

“That case is provisionally withdrawn from the court roll pending cocaine lab results, not that it died a natural death, as alleged,” Shikongo said.

Amushelelo claimed this week that police sources revealed a conspiracy behind Comalie’s March 2023 drug bust.

The mastermind, according to Amushelelo, is suspended managing director Immanuel Mulunga.

Amushelelo said his informers alleged Mulunga paid two individuals (who had since died) to plant drugs in Comalie’s car, using a police officer as an intermediary, ostensibly to frame Comalie to remove her from her position.

The Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) reported this week that Mulunga denies the allegations, describing them as slanderous and defamatory.
Mulunga also denied knowing the deceased individuals.

The Namibian reported this week that a high-level meeting of police officials took place on Tuesday to address the unauthorised disclosure of the post-mortem report related to one of the five individuals killed by the police at Okahandja.

Shikongo on Wednesday warned police officers against leaking sensitive information.

POST-MORTEM REPORT

The post-mortem examination report on Kotokeni, seen by The Namibian, reveals multiple gunshot wounds.

“Multiple gunshot wounds found on this body are of different directions with different trajectories, more entry wounds were noted and fewer exit wounds.

“Most of the height from the wounds and height from the buttocks could not be measured. The majority of the wounds had approximately similar measurements,” the report notes.

The report also reveals that Kotokeni’s manner of death was assault and the immediate cause of death was gunshot wounds.

This, according to the report, was due to the consequences of multiple injuries to his organs and also due to the consequences of Kotokeni being struck by a projectile from a rifle, shotgun or larger firearm.

THE KILLING

Deputy inspector general Elias Mutota released a statement in April last year, saying a murder case was registered against the involved police officers, while a case of attempted murder and malicious damage to property was registered against a sixth suspected robber, who managed to flee the scene.

Mutota at the time said the five men were all previously arrested and had been granted bail in a combined total of 24 criminal cases involving charges ranging from armed robbery, housebreaking and theft, to attempted murder, the possession of firearms and ammunition without a licence, illegal dealing in firearms, displaying fake vehicle number plates and escaping from lawful custody.

In the statement, Mutota said the police received information about a planned armed robbery “by some notorious criminals to be carried out at a certain farm in Khomas” and that the target of the planned robbery was then shifted to a gambling house at Okahandja.

Mutota said the suspects were later spotted at a gambling house near Okahandja’s municipal offices, “where a hot pursuit ensued within Okahandja town”.

“During the process the suspects allegedly shot at the pursuing police car, which triggered an exchange of fire. Before the car could come to a standstill, the officers allegedly saw one of the suspects jumping out of the vehicle and running into the nearby riverbed, where he disappeared.

The victims’ family members have since last year accused the police of deliberately killing them under the guise of crime prevention.

Contacted for comment yesterday, commissioner Nelius Becker of the Namibian Police’s Forensic Science Institute referred The Namibian to police spokesperson Kauna Shikwambi.

However, Shikwambi did not respond to an email sent to her yesterday.