The 37-year-old police officer who allegedly set a police vehicle on fire in an attempt to commit suicide on Saturday was denied bail in the Keetmanshoop Magistrate’s Court on Monday.

The accused, Uakauta Japuhua, made his first court appearance before Magistrate Erich Dandu, who denied him bail and postponed the case to 18 June 2024 for further police investigations.

The magistrate advised the accused to file a formal bail application if he wished to be released on bail.

During the court hearing on Monday, Japuhua indicated that he will seek private legal representation.

The state was represented by Iyaloo Haipinge.

Japuhua faces a charge of malicious damage to property and he was remanded in custody at the Keetmanshoop police holding cell until his next court appearance.

It is alleged that the accused drove the police vehicle into the field and set it on fire with the intention to commit suicide.

The incident took place on Saturday between 04h00 and 06h00 in the Industrier residential area in the sou
thern town.

The police alleged that Japuhua was agitated when he found his girlfriend kissing another man, which caused an argument to erupt between them, the accused then opted to commit suicide

‘The member went into the vehicle, closed the doors, rolled up the windows and after he felt the heat of the flames, he got out and tried to extinguish the burning vehicle,’ said the Namibian Police Force in its crime report

Source: The Namibia Press Agency