Adrian “Boy” Schickerling behind bars again because of extortion

Swakopmund resident Adrian “Boy” Schickerling (52) was arrested by officials of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) in Otjiwarongo last week Friday after he was allegedly involved in what appears to be a well organised criminal extortion swindle. He was apprehended at the Otjiwarongo Police station.

According to information received by the ACC the scam was perpetrated by individuals who contacted a businessman under the pretext that he was a contractor on a certain list selected to perform construction work for Government. This businessmen was then invited to a meeting with a person pretending to be an employee of the Ministry of Works and Transport – this person informed the businessman “that he has to show his appreciation for the gesture of adding him to the list” by paying N$2 000.
Shortly after the businessman paid the money, he was approached by two black men and one Caucasian male, in a dark-green Mercedes Benz sedan, and introduced themselves as officials of the Anti-Corruption Commission and Police Officers of the Namibian Police. They “arrested” the businessman on a charge of bribery and took him to the Katutura Police Station. Two of the “police officials” entered the police station, in order to lend credibility to their scam. The businessman and the Caucasian “police officer” remained in the vehicle.
The remaining police official in the car then extorted an amount of N$300 000 from the businessman to “drop the charge”. The cash was withdrawn by the businessman’s son and handed over. Following an investigation by the ACC, three suspects have been arrested. Adrian Schickerling was one of the three suspects. According to an official from ACC Schickerling appeared in Otjiwarongo Magistrate Court on Monday (12 June) together with his co-accused. Two more suspects are still at large. The case was remanded to 27 July 2017. All three accused remain in custody pending further police investigations.
They are charged with contravening Section 29 of the Anti-Corruption Act (Falsely pretending that he/she is an authorized officer or has any of the powers of such an officer under this Act, or under any authorization of the Commission issued under this Act); contravening the Police Act, Act 19 of 1990 section 33 (Any person who impersonates a member [of the Police] or makes any state-ment or does any act calculated falsely to suggest that he or she is a member); racketeering in terms of the Prevention of Organized Crime Act (some of the accused have similar previous pending cases) and extortion.
Schickerling is also involved in other organised crimes of extortion and impersonating a member of the police which took place in Swakopmund early in 2015. He was out on bail of N$10 000 during the time he committed these latest alleged offences. In Swakopmund he is accused of extorting N$200 000 from a businessman. Schickerling and three others were arrested and were all granted bail.
According to the ACC the accused persons are neither authorized officers of the Anti-Corruption Commission, nor are they members of the Namibian or any other Police Service for that matter. The ACC suspects that they may have extorted cash from other members of the public and are calling on anybody with more information to contact ACC Investigator Werner Nghashikuao (081 2582387 or (067-302 731) or Chief Investigator Justine Kanyangela (081 127 7486 or 061-435 4000).
The Anti-Corruption Commission warns members of the public to avoid getting involved in such scams or to make payments that can compromise them getting drawn into the scam and opening the door to extortion. The identity of any Authorized Officials of the Anti-Corruption Commission can be verified with Mr Nelius Bekker, the Head of Investigations and Prosecution at the Anti-Corruption Commission (081 129 9215 or 061-435 4000).