Jan Japan crackdown continues

Reporter: Mavourlene Gaes

Another suspect, also an employee of Jan Japan Motors CC, will appear in court today in connection with the theft of 14 Jan Japan motor vehicles. He was at work yesterday, going about his daily routine apparently unfazed,  and unsuspecting of what was awaiting him, when the police, led by Nampol Detective Chief Inspector Erastus Iikuyu, apprehended him on the spot.

This week the Walvis Bay Police are once again cracking down on suspects implicated in the theft and unlawful selling of 14 vehicles, belonging to the cars and sales company, Jan Japan Motors CC.

According to Iikuyu the police have recovered another two of the 14 vehicles that disappeared. “We have located two vehicles that are currently in Okalongo and Rundu East” Iikuyu said.

 

The police have up to date recovered eight of the 14 motor vehicles and four suspects have already been apprehended in connection with the crime.

Christof Kristiaan (27) and Mathias Francisco (31) who are alleged to have been part of the

syndicate involved in the disappearance of the 14 cars at Jan Japan, appeared in the Walvis Bay

Magistrate’s court on Friday. The two are suspected of being part of the syndicate stealing vehicles at the dealer where the cars disappeared from the warehouse.

Earlier, one of the senior personnel of the company, James Lewis was apprehended. He was the first to be arrested. The Erongo Regional Commander Samuel  //Hoëbeb announced the breakthrough at his media briefing last week.

The case had been reported to the police in April, after the new leadership of Jan Japan had done stock-taking of the company’s vehicles and had noticed that 14 vehicles could not be accounted for.

//Hoëbeb said after the case had been reported to them, the investigating team found two cars in Lewis’s house and later confiscated another one from a buyer who bought the car at a sub-standard price.

According to Commissioner //Hoëbeb the total estimated value of the stolen cars is N$1 030 000.

Kristiaan and Franciso were arrested in Kuiseb-mond last Wednesday evening, when the police also recovered three more motor vehicles.

The two accused appeared in front of Magistrate Vicky Nicolaidis on Friday. They were denied bail and their case was merged with James Lewis’s

case. The Magistrate postponed the matter to 3 June for further investigation.

The police have warned that more arrests are iminent.