Namibia: Ondangwa Officers Accused of Booking Out Suspect for Leisure

Oshana police head of criminal investigations deputy commissioner Frederick Ndjadila says some Ondangwa-based police officers have booked out an awaiting-trial detainee, Abner Mateus, for leisure purposes.

Last month, The Namibian reported that Oshana police commander commissioner Naftal Sakaria accused sergeant Matheus Shipingana from Windhoek Central Police Station of transporting Mateus out of police cells and escorting him to a guest house to meet his girlfriend.

"Before he went to the Khomas region, he was booked out for leisures at Ondangwa. We haven't established how many times he was booked out but we know the same incidents happened at Ondangwa," Ndjadila said on Thursday.

Mateus, who is being held at the Ondangwa police holding cells faces fraud charges.

According to Ndjadila, several additional fraud cases have been opened against Mateus, a former police officer, in multiple regions across the country.

"This man has a long history. There was a time he was found wearing a police uniform and acting like a police officer. This happened in the Ohangwena region. That was a robbery case," Ndjadila said.

He added that Mateus allegedly offered money to individuals to steal or destroy a docket that has kept him in custody.

"There was money promised, but we don't have the figure yet for how much was allocated for the public prosecutor. We are saying, however, that all the activities were planned contingent on those payments," he said.

The allegations first surfaced after it emerged that while being held at Windhoek Central Police cells, Mateus was taken to a guesthouse by a police officer.

At the guesthouse, he allegedly met a girlfriend and consumed alcohol.

Mateus is also accused of masterminding an attack on public prosecutor Justine Shiweda on 17 October.

Two days after the attack, Mateus was transported to Windhoek on Monday night to appear in a Windhoek court for another fraud-related case.

So far, seven people have been arrested in connection with the case.

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