Stefanus Nashama
The Outapi Magistrate’s court has sentenced Wilhelm Gideon (53) to an effective 18 months in jail for attempting to bribe a police officer with N$ 20 000, in exchange for his vehicle which is currently impounded and is marked off as evidence in an ongoing criminal case.
Gideon pleaded guilty and was subsequently convicted,and sentenced to eighteen months imprisonment without an option of a fine.
Gideon, an operator at Namport contravened section 38(b) read with sections 51, 49 of the Anti-Corruption Act, 2003 (Act No. 8 of 2003), the Anti-Corruption Commission said.
According to a statement issued yesterday by ACC Public Relations Officer, Josefina Nghituwamata, Gideon appeared in Outapi Magistrate Court on Wednesday, 19 July 2023 where he was sentenced.
The confiscated amount of N$20 000-00 is also forfeited to the, she stated.
“Gideon was arrested on 10 July 2023, and charged with bribing a Police Officer by approaching the investigating officer and requesting him to release a vehicle, which had been booked as an exhibit in the police criminal case (Etayi Cr 12/02/2020) and offering to pay the officer N$ 20,000.00 as bribe in exchange for the release of his vehicle,” Nghituwamata explained.
She said that the said motor vehicle (Landcruiser) was used in the commission of an offence and seized by the Namibian Police Force on 19 February 2020 in the area of Oikokola near Oikokola Border Post, Omusati Region.
Nghituwamata said the motor vehicle in question was found transporting stolen pharmaceutical substances from the public facility-state clinic of Odimbwa Health Centre to the border of Namibia and Angola.
According to ACC, the Namibian Police Force in connection with the theft of pharmaceutical substances also arrested three officials from the Ministry of Health and Social Services.
Gideon made his first appearance at the Outapi Magistrate Court on 12 July 2023, where he had been detained in custody and was scheduled to return to court on 10 August 2023in the theft matter.
TheACC has since urged members of the public to report corruption activities and practices at any nearest ACC office.
