Police Chief Lieutenant General Joseph Shikongo has clarified that the six police officers and two civilian employees of the Namibian Police (NamPol) facing charges of firearm theft at the Police Central Depot were arrested in 2022, following an incident reported in November 2021.
Lieutenant General Shikongo emphasized that these arrests are not recent developments and should not be linked to recent reports circulating in South African media, which allege that Namibian weapons have been sold to gangs in the Western Cape.
Since their arrest in 2022, the accused NamPol staff have been appearing before the courts, with some granted bail pending further legal proceedings. Lieutenant General Shikongo described the ongoing case as a continuation of the earlier judicial process, reinforcing that the current matters are unrelated to the recent South African allegations.
He further stated that NamPol is treating the firearm theft allegations with the utmost seriousness. The police force is cooperating closely with the South African Police Service (SAPS), including through the Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters framework, to ensure transparency and accountability.
This clear distinction aims to avoid any public misconception linking the arrested NamPol personnel directly to the foreign media claims.
