Hawks bosses fly in over police gun violence
Stolen guns possibly used in Phala Phala theft
South African police bosses flew in to also seek assistance in getting a Phala Phala suspect convicted.
Senior figures of the South African Police Service have held meetings with Namibian Police Inspector-General Joseph Shikongo, in part to help secure a criminal conviction against a man suspected of using stolen police guns in a million-dollar heist at South African president Cyril Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala farm.
Major General Mathipa Solomon Makgato, head of South Africa’s directorate for priority crime investigations - known as the Hawks, quietly visited Namibia between 24 to 28 July and met with Shikongo and other Namibian Police senior figures.
In those meetings, Makgato, who was accompanied by three other senior officials from the Hawks, revealed that they confiscated 80 guns stolen from the Namibian Police’s procurement and logistics division from a syndicate, which was detected in 2021.
The pistols were confiscated from Western Cape gangs, while 12 were found in the possession of Urbanus Shaumbako, one of the men who allegedly broke into Ramaphosa’s farm in early 2020.
Shaumbwako is currently in jail in South Africa over those firearms.
Marked ‘NPW’
Makgato’s delegation also revealed that some of the Namibian Police’s stolen firearms have been used to commit armed crimes in the Gauteng province.
The confiscated guns, all pistols, were engraved with ‘NPW’, but the police in South Africa did not know until much later that this stood for ‘Namibian Police Weapon’.
Because of not knowing what the engraving meant, 30 of the confiscated guns were destroyed, the Hawks delegation told Shikongo and his lieutenants.
The remaining 50 firearms are being kept safe in South Africa, and the Namibian Police has been advised to file a formal repatriation application to get the weapons back.
Local police chiefs have confirmed that they cross-verified that the confiscated weapons form part of 187 pistols stolen from the Namibian Police force, for which five officials were charged last year.
They are Loini Shoondi (57), Kavari Mutuari (35), Fredericks Jacobus Petrus Vilonel (61), Halwoodi Paulus (56) and Laban Hoveka Uaundjua (58).
Their boss - the head of the procurement and logistics division, Commissioner Andreas Nelumbu - was also internally charged, and the fact that he remains in charge of the department has raised eyebrows.
Nelumbu has sued the police for the accusation that he had a hand in the disappearance of the firearms, worth a collective N$4.2 million.
Transnational charges
Namibian Sun understands that some of the Namibian Police guns might have been used in the theft of millions of dollars from Ramaphosa’s farm, after a bag containing 12 guns was found in Shaumbwako’s possession.
He is one of the key characters in the Phala Phala soap opera.
Shaumbwako has made several court appearances, but the lack of an Oshiwambo translator has hampered progress in the matter.
In 2022, a magistrate denied a Hawks request to question Shaumbwako over Phala Phala, saying that case is irrelevant to the current charges he is facing.
During their visit to Windhoek between 24 and 28 July, the Hawks delegation pleaded with the Namibian Police to help attain a conviction against Shaumbwako by proving the transnational firearm smuggling charges brought against him.
It was recommended during those meetings that Namibia and South Africa establish a joint investigation team to identify, link and apprehend anyone who had a hand in the smuggling syndicate.
All guns that have gone missing from the Namibian Police at various intervals are said to be worth N$3.6 million. Other items worth over N$675 000, which include tents, police uniforms, generators, binoculars, torches, steel trunks and police cell mats also went missing.
Namibian Sun understands that many other missing police guns have been used in criminal activities in Angola, but requests by officials to go to that country to investigate have been rejected by Namibian Police bosses.
Shikongo - who is currently in Vienna, Austria - referred all enquiries to his deputy, Major-General Elias Mutota. Mutota could not give an update regarding the investigation, saying he has not recently been briefed on the matter.
Major General Mathipa Solomon Makgato, head of South Africa’s directorate for priority crime investigations - known as the Hawks, quietly visited Namibia between 24 to 28 July and met with Shikongo and other Namibian Police senior figures.
In those meetings, Makgato, who was accompanied by three other senior officials from the Hawks, revealed that they confiscated 80 guns stolen from the Namibian Police’s procurement and logistics division from a syndicate, which was detected in 2021.
The pistols were confiscated from Western Cape gangs, while 12 were found in the possession of Urbanus Shaumbako, one of the men who allegedly broke into Ramaphosa’s farm in early 2020.
Shaumbwako is currently in jail in South Africa over those firearms.
Marked ‘NPW’
Makgato’s delegation also revealed that some of the Namibian Police’s stolen firearms have been used to commit armed crimes in the Gauteng province.
The confiscated guns, all pistols, were engraved with ‘NPW’, but the police in South Africa did not know until much later that this stood for ‘Namibian Police Weapon’.
Because of not knowing what the engraving meant, 30 of the confiscated guns were destroyed, the Hawks delegation told Shikongo and his lieutenants.
The remaining 50 firearms are being kept safe in South Africa, and the Namibian Police has been advised to file a formal repatriation application to get the weapons back.
Local police chiefs have confirmed that they cross-verified that the confiscated weapons form part of 187 pistols stolen from the Namibian Police force, for which five officials were charged last year.
They are Loini Shoondi (57), Kavari Mutuari (35), Fredericks Jacobus Petrus Vilonel (61), Halwoodi Paulus (56) and Laban Hoveka Uaundjua (58).
Their boss - the head of the procurement and logistics division, Commissioner Andreas Nelumbu - was also internally charged, and the fact that he remains in charge of the department has raised eyebrows.
Nelumbu has sued the police for the accusation that he had a hand in the disappearance of the firearms, worth a collective N$4.2 million.
Transnational charges
Namibian Sun understands that some of the Namibian Police guns might have been used in the theft of millions of dollars from Ramaphosa’s farm, after a bag containing 12 guns was found in Shaumbwako’s possession.
He is one of the key characters in the Phala Phala soap opera.
Shaumbwako has made several court appearances, but the lack of an Oshiwambo translator has hampered progress in the matter.
In 2022, a magistrate denied a Hawks request to question Shaumbwako over Phala Phala, saying that case is irrelevant to the current charges he is facing.
During their visit to Windhoek between 24 and 28 July, the Hawks delegation pleaded with the Namibian Police to help attain a conviction against Shaumbwako by proving the transnational firearm smuggling charges brought against him.
It was recommended during those meetings that Namibia and South Africa establish a joint investigation team to identify, link and apprehend anyone who had a hand in the smuggling syndicate.
All guns that have gone missing from the Namibian Police at various intervals are said to be worth N$3.6 million. Other items worth over N$675 000, which include tents, police uniforms, generators, binoculars, torches, steel trunks and police cell mats also went missing.
Namibian Sun understands that many other missing police guns have been used in criminal activities in Angola, but requests by officials to go to that country to investigate have been rejected by Namibian Police bosses.
Shikongo - who is currently in Vienna, Austria - referred all enquiries to his deputy, Major-General Elias Mutota. Mutota could not give an update regarding the investigation, saying he has not recently been briefed on the matter.
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