The Swakopmund Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday denied bail to 34-year-old Antje Nauhaus, who appeared in connection with a helicopter crash that occurred at Swakopmund on 17 July.

Nauhaus appeared on charges of fraud, forgery and uttering, culpable homicide as well as contravening of the Namibian civil aviation regulations.

The suspect allegedly unlawfully and intentionally misrepresented a fake, forged and altered certificate of the registration and flight test permit of the same helicopter to Namibia Base Aviation.

Prosecutor Anita Likius opposed bail on the basis of the seriousness of the case and the charges against her, which would therefore not be in the interest of the public and the administration of justice.

The court also fears that the accused might interfere with investigations and/or abscond.

According to the police, Nauhaus was arrested at her residence in Swakopmund on Sunday, following investigations on a case which was opened against her by the owner of the Swakopmund Flying School, following the helicopter crash.

Items such as two iPhones, a smaller phone, memory sticks, six computers, 141 logbooks and three boxes with financial documents and invoices were seized from her residence, as well as the Namibia Base Aviation office, after a search warrant was obtained from the magistrate.

Two people, the 54-year-old Jacques Jacobs, who was the chief pilot and pilot instructor from the Swakopmund Flying School and 29-year-old Dirk von Weidts, died in the accident east of the Swakopmund airfield when they took it for a test.

The case was postponed to 02 October 2023 to allow further investigations.

The accused was represented by Willem Adriaan Greyling of Kinghorn Associates.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency