Written by Patience Nyangove
Thursday, 17 June 2010
NIGERIAN, Ben Karibo Nwahin, who was last month allegedly implicated as a king-pin in a human smuggling syndicate before he was arrested for trying to bribe Informanté journalists is now also being investigated by the Namibian Police for bigamy. Police spokesperson, Deputy Commissioner, Hophni Hamufungu said Nwahin is legally married to two Namibian women.
Hamufungu said one of the women believes Nwahin is a Nigerian while the other one was told when they got married that he is a Sierra Leonean.
“Ben Karibo Nwahin is currently facing a corruption charge in court and his bail application is ongoing. We are also likely to charge him with other charges of bigamy after investigations revealed that he is married to two Namibian women, in one case as a Nigerian in another one as a Sierra Leonean. He will also be charged with human smuggling,” Hamufungu said.
When Informanté exposed Nwahin for human smuggling he tried to bribe Informanté journalists with six pieces of Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), Graça, Four Cousins wine bottles and N$2,800 before he was arrested for corruption.
A two week long Informanté investigation unearthed how Nwahin allegedly made thousands of US dollars in trafficking men from West Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo into Angola via Namibia.
Informanté established that illegal immigrants from impoverished West African countries enter the DRC legally because of the country’s lax immigration laws, where they meet Nwahin’s contact there who, through his connections at border posts, smuggles the immigrants into Zambia and Namibia illegally for at least US$550 each.
Investigations also revealed that most of the immigrants enter Namibia using the Wenela Border Post through an immigration authority contact before travelling to Oshikango.
Once the illegal immigrants enter Oshikango, they are put under the care of Nwahin who smuggles them into Angola for US$1,300 for Nigerians and US$1,500 for non-Nigerians.
While waiting to be smuggled into Angola, the illegal immigrants live in overcrowded and squalid conditions, in a filthy room behind Paulu’s Mini Restaurant next to Oshikango Garage.
The illegal immigrants are also allegedly kept under strict isolation to avoid detection by the police or immigration officials.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Reho’s sand houses to be demolished
Written by Patience Nyangove
Thursday, 17 June 2010
REHOBOTH residents are set to see N$200,000 of the tax payer’s money go down the drain after the sole holder of patent rights for the construction of sand houses in Namibia demanded through his lawyers that the town council demolish the houses. According to Martin Dentlinger, the town council infringed on his patent rights when it “awarded” a tender to a South African national to build the sand houses in Namibia as he is the only person in the country who has the right to construct the houses.
Dentlinger’s lawyer, Irvin Titus, of Koep and Partners confirmed the action Wednesday.
“We have been instructed by our client to write to the Rehoboth Town Council informing them to cease the project and our client’s rights over the exclusive use of the patent rights. We are currently in the process of drawing papers. There will be a formal application in court interdicting the council from constructing the sand houses,” Titus said
Dentlinger, a Namibian, says on 14 February 2004, he approached the Rehoboth Town Council with a business proposal to construct houses in the town but they never gave him any response despite several follow-ups until he heard almost six years later that council had approached a South African to construct the houses.
“I immediately wrote an email to the council objecting to the project because they never compared or even considered my proposal. I cautioned the town council that I am the exclusive patent right holder for Namibia and would protect my patent rights in court if necessary,” he said.
Dentlinger questioned the logic behind the Rehoboth Town Council’s giving a foreigner who is more expensive the tender at the expense of a Namibian national.
“How can the Rehoboth Town Council justify their decision to appoint a foreigner above a Namibian citizen and a Rehobother for the mentioned building project without requesting tenders and at a price that exceeds the conventional building cost?
“On what grounds were the work permits for the contractors obtained while Namibians are more than capable to construct the buildings?” he questioned.
Rehoboth Mayor, David Reichter, said he was going to look into the issue as the project was started when he was not in office.
“I will find out what’s going on. I have taken recognition of the matter. Some of the issues are very new to me,” he said.
Thursday, 17 June 2010
REHOBOTH residents are set to see N$200,000 of the tax payer’s money go down the drain after the sole holder of patent rights for the construction of sand houses in Namibia demanded through his lawyers that the town council demolish the houses. According to Martin Dentlinger, the town council infringed on his patent rights when it “awarded” a tender to a South African national to build the sand houses in Namibia as he is the only person in the country who has the right to construct the houses.
Dentlinger’s lawyer, Irvin Titus, of Koep and Partners confirmed the action Wednesday.
“We have been instructed by our client to write to the Rehoboth Town Council informing them to cease the project and our client’s rights over the exclusive use of the patent rights. We are currently in the process of drawing papers. There will be a formal application in court interdicting the council from constructing the sand houses,” Titus said
Dentlinger, a Namibian, says on 14 February 2004, he approached the Rehoboth Town Council with a business proposal to construct houses in the town but they never gave him any response despite several follow-ups until he heard almost six years later that council had approached a South African to construct the houses.
“I immediately wrote an email to the council objecting to the project because they never compared or even considered my proposal. I cautioned the town council that I am the exclusive patent right holder for Namibia and would protect my patent rights in court if necessary,” he said.
Dentlinger questioned the logic behind the Rehoboth Town Council’s giving a foreigner who is more expensive the tender at the expense of a Namibian national.
“How can the Rehoboth Town Council justify their decision to appoint a foreigner above a Namibian citizen and a Rehobother for the mentioned building project without requesting tenders and at a price that exceeds the conventional building cost?
“On what grounds were the work permits for the contractors obtained while Namibians are more than capable to construct the buildings?” he questioned.
Rehoboth Mayor, David Reichter, said he was going to look into the issue as the project was started when he was not in office.
“I will find out what’s going on. I have taken recognition of the matter. Some of the issues are very new to me,” he said.
Rampant cheating at Polytechnic of Namibia
Written by Patience Nyangove and Marianne Nghidengwa
Thursday, 17 June 2010
FIFTEEN Polytechnic of Namibia students have been caught in the past three weeks cheating during examinations fuelling fears of half baked graduates from the institution. Cheating cases recorded so far include those of students caught trying to write each others' exams; those who are caught in possession of small strips of papers where answers are written and those who write answers on papers using invisible ink amongst others.
In one incidence a student was caught writing another student's mathematics examination after he had entered his student number instead of the friend’s he was writing for.
In an extraordinary case during a test, a student reportedly, with the help of an invigilator took another student’s examination answer sheet and copied and a lecturer who marked the papers noticed the offence and gave both zero.
Polytechnic of Namibia, Registrar Corneels Jafta confirmed the cheating incidences.
“So far we have caught 15 students cheating during the current exams. We know that students cheat. They have been doing so for years. We know there are some students who don’t value learning but just the final graduation certificates. The good thing is that these students who do this are cheating themselves because when they go into the job market they are the ones who fail to perform because they don’t know anything,” Jafta said.
He said students caught cheating appear before a committee where, if found guilty, are either suspended or expelled from the institute but added that cheating is no longer as rampant as it was in 2000 when he joined the college.
“I believe we are catching all of them that are trying to cheat. We are implementing prescriptions from international education institutes to catch those that try to cheat.”
Polytechnic, Rector, Tjama Tjivikua said such cases are dealt with according to the students' disciplinary code available in the prospectus.
Student Representative Council president, Trevor Chika refused to comment on the issue.
A student who agreed to speak on condition of anonymity said: “There are many students who have been caught cheating both in tests and exams. I can't give further information as we all know what Informanté is!”
Thursday, 17 June 2010
FIFTEEN Polytechnic of Namibia students have been caught in the past three weeks cheating during examinations fuelling fears of half baked graduates from the institution. Cheating cases recorded so far include those of students caught trying to write each others' exams; those who are caught in possession of small strips of papers where answers are written and those who write answers on papers using invisible ink amongst others.
In one incidence a student was caught writing another student's mathematics examination after he had entered his student number instead of the friend’s he was writing for.
In an extraordinary case during a test, a student reportedly, with the help of an invigilator took another student’s examination answer sheet and copied and a lecturer who marked the papers noticed the offence and gave both zero.
Polytechnic of Namibia, Registrar Corneels Jafta confirmed the cheating incidences.
“So far we have caught 15 students cheating during the current exams. We know that students cheat. They have been doing so for years. We know there are some students who don’t value learning but just the final graduation certificates. The good thing is that these students who do this are cheating themselves because when they go into the job market they are the ones who fail to perform because they don’t know anything,” Jafta said.
He said students caught cheating appear before a committee where, if found guilty, are either suspended or expelled from the institute but added that cheating is no longer as rampant as it was in 2000 when he joined the college.
“I believe we are catching all of them that are trying to cheat. We are implementing prescriptions from international education institutes to catch those that try to cheat.”
Polytechnic, Rector, Tjama Tjivikua said such cases are dealt with according to the students' disciplinary code available in the prospectus.
Student Representative Council president, Trevor Chika refused to comment on the issue.
A student who agreed to speak on condition of anonymity said: “There are many students who have been caught cheating both in tests and exams. I can't give further information as we all know what Informanté is!”
Swapo MP Diergaardt fails to pay N$50,000 Rehoboth rates
Written by Patience Nyangove
Thursday, 10 June 2010
SWAPO Member of Parliament and Rehoboth businessman, Theo Diergaardt has for the past five years allegedly not been paying rates and utility bills to the Rehoboth Town Council, Informanté can reveal.
Impeccable council sources said Diergaardt, who is Councillor for Rehoboth West Urban in the Hardap Region, owed the Town Council over N$50,000 in unpaid rates and utility bills for the service station he operates in the town by end of 2009.
Documents in possession of Informanté also reveal that since September 2009 to the end of April 2010, Diergaardt had not been paying the monthly N$3,146.40 rates for farming on council land.
The sources said in December 2009 the council effected an amnesty on everyone owing council and Diergaardt's bill was slashed by 70%.
"Diergaardt's Service Station's bill for water, rates and taxes which is now more than N$50,000 is for between three to five years. Besides that he owes council more than N$20,000 now in grazing fees since he is farming on council land which he hasn't been paying on a monthly basis."
Another council source said the amnesty mostly targets pensioners and the poor who can't afford paying utility bills and rates.
"It's unfortunate and very embarrassing that a well-off businessman and politician also takes advantage of a facility set up for the less fortunate members of society. Diergaardt has not been paying his monthly bills for years waiting for council to have an amnesty where he only has to pay 30% of his bills," the source said.
Rehoboth Town Council Deputy Mayor, George Dax confirmed that Diergaardt who represents the Hardap Region in the National Council had not been paying council rates and bills.
"I was informed by officials although I am not involved in the administration of council funds. It's been going on for years and council cannot do anything about it because he has political power. He has power to influence certain people within council so that he goes on not paying council rates and utility bills.
"When I was still Mayor I spoke about this issue and it's one of the reasons I was ousted for and labelled an enemy. Politicians are not paying up their bills and then they complain that the town is not developing," Dax said.
Rehoboth's new Mayor David Richter, who is Diergaardt's friend, this week said he could not comment because he was in a meeting.
"Just say you spoke to the Mayor and he said he was busy and he will investigate the matter," Richter said.
Hardap Governor, Katrina Hanse Himalwa, said if it's true that Diergaardt is not paying council rates and utility bills then he is highly being unethical.
"If it is true that the Councillor is making himself money and not paying council rates and utility bills then it is unethical. As a Councillor he needs to set a good example by paying his rates. How will you ask residents to pay rates when you yourself are not doing so?" She asked.
Diergaardt denied that he owed council money in unpaid rates and utility bills saying his payments were not invoiced because of council's maladministration.
"It's not true. I was never invoiced. It's not water, electricity, it's a special thing that they never invoiced me and invoiced me wrongly. I pay rates and utility bills on a monthly basis," he said.
When asked to prove his innocence by producing monthly receipts showing that he has been paying, Diergaardt said the receipts where in his office and he was no longer in Rehoboth.
When pressed to ask someone to fax the receipts to Informanté Diergaardt threatened to sue this journalist and report her to Informanté Editor, Max Hamata.
Thursday, 10 June 2010
SWAPO Member of Parliament and Rehoboth businessman, Theo Diergaardt has for the past five years allegedly not been paying rates and utility bills to the Rehoboth Town Council, Informanté can reveal.
Impeccable council sources said Diergaardt, who is Councillor for Rehoboth West Urban in the Hardap Region, owed the Town Council over N$50,000 in unpaid rates and utility bills for the service station he operates in the town by end of 2009.
Documents in possession of Informanté also reveal that since September 2009 to the end of April 2010, Diergaardt had not been paying the monthly N$3,146.40 rates for farming on council land.
The sources said in December 2009 the council effected an amnesty on everyone owing council and Diergaardt's bill was slashed by 70%.
"Diergaardt's Service Station's bill for water, rates and taxes which is now more than N$50,000 is for between three to five years. Besides that he owes council more than N$20,000 now in grazing fees since he is farming on council land which he hasn't been paying on a monthly basis."
Another council source said the amnesty mostly targets pensioners and the poor who can't afford paying utility bills and rates.
"It's unfortunate and very embarrassing that a well-off businessman and politician also takes advantage of a facility set up for the less fortunate members of society. Diergaardt has not been paying his monthly bills for years waiting for council to have an amnesty where he only has to pay 30% of his bills," the source said.
Rehoboth Town Council Deputy Mayor, George Dax confirmed that Diergaardt who represents the Hardap Region in the National Council had not been paying council rates and bills.
"I was informed by officials although I am not involved in the administration of council funds. It's been going on for years and council cannot do anything about it because he has political power. He has power to influence certain people within council so that he goes on not paying council rates and utility bills.
"When I was still Mayor I spoke about this issue and it's one of the reasons I was ousted for and labelled an enemy. Politicians are not paying up their bills and then they complain that the town is not developing," Dax said.
Rehoboth's new Mayor David Richter, who is Diergaardt's friend, this week said he could not comment because he was in a meeting.
"Just say you spoke to the Mayor and he said he was busy and he will investigate the matter," Richter said.
Hardap Governor, Katrina Hanse Himalwa, said if it's true that Diergaardt is not paying council rates and utility bills then he is highly being unethical.
"If it is true that the Councillor is making himself money and not paying council rates and utility bills then it is unethical. As a Councillor he needs to set a good example by paying his rates. How will you ask residents to pay rates when you yourself are not doing so?" She asked.
Diergaardt denied that he owed council money in unpaid rates and utility bills saying his payments were not invoiced because of council's maladministration.
"It's not true. I was never invoiced. It's not water, electricity, it's a special thing that they never invoiced me and invoiced me wrongly. I pay rates and utility bills on a monthly basis," he said.
When asked to prove his innocence by producing monthly receipts showing that he has been paying, Diergaardt said the receipts where in his office and he was no longer in Rehoboth.
When pressed to ask someone to fax the receipts to Informanté Diergaardt threatened to sue this journalist and report her to Informanté Editor, Max Hamata.
Mwinga rams into RDP, Endjala's house
Written by Patience Nyangove
Thursday, 10 June 2010
SWAPO Khomas regional coordinator, Michael Mwinga, allegedly rammed into a house owned by former Swapo member and Councillor for Tobias Hainyeko Constituency, Captain Erastus Endjala in the early hours of Friday morning.
Endjala is now a member of the Rally for Democracy and Progress party.
In photographs taken shortly after the incident in possession of Informanté a seemingly drunken Mwinga appears to have wetted his pants despite his denials Wednesday that he ever did so.
Although he admitted that he was photographed at the scene of the accident, he claimed the pictures were doctored.
"Why would I wet my pants? These pictures are factious. It's just a ploy to character assassinate me," he said.
According to Martha Endjala, the Captain's wife, she was called by her sister's children who stay at the house near Wanaheda Police Station around 12h15 informing her that a Nissan bakkie had rammed into their wall.
"The children said the driver of the car wanted to run away before swapping seats with one of the boys he was travelling with so that it would look as if he wasn't the one driving the car when the accident happened."
Endjala said when they drove to the house they found that Mwinga who allegedly was driving the car when the incident happened seemed to have been under the influence of alcohol.
"It was fortunate that he bumped into a tree first before he rammed into the wall of the seating room which luckily did not suffer much damage. This man is a big somebody who is always drunk and now he is trying to lie that he wasn't the one driving the car," she said.
Captain Endjala said witnesses saw Mwinga trying to run away from the incident.
"He tried to drive away but the car would not start and that's when we hear he swapped seats with one of the boys to look as if he wasn't the one driving the car. He then later claimed that he was teaching the boy how to drive but how can one teach someone to drive in the middle of the night? He then later claimed he was coming from a relative's house to settle family disputes but in reality we know him as a victim of alcohol."
Captain Endjala said the case was not reported to the police because Mwinga agreed to pay damages to the fence and wall.
"His car was damaged and it had to be towed from the house."
When contacted for comment Mwinga initially refused to comment saying," Let the Endjalas give you the story. I am not ready for that (to comment). It's not a story."
A senior Swapo official who spoke on condition of anonymity said Mwinga has, for the past years, allegedly turned to beer mostly because of frustrations within the party where he is not being promoted.
"Mwinga is one of the long serving coordinators of the party and come elections he is used to campaign and after elections others get promoted to ambassadorial posts or Members of Parliament but he is left out.
"He has been regional coordinator for as long as I can remember. The previous regional coordinators for Kunene and Karas were all promoted into Parliament and are now deputy ministers but he was left out.
"The guy is now too much into drinking. Last time he went after a meeting to Tobias Hainyeko and got himself a woman and never returned home. Apparently he was involved in a fight with the woman and his identity documents were thrown out of the car and when people found them a manhunt was launched people thinking he had been abducted."
Mwinga could not comment on this after hanging up on the reporter.
Thursday, 10 June 2010
SWAPO Khomas regional coordinator, Michael Mwinga, allegedly rammed into a house owned by former Swapo member and Councillor for Tobias Hainyeko Constituency, Captain Erastus Endjala in the early hours of Friday morning.
Endjala is now a member of the Rally for Democracy and Progress party.
In photographs taken shortly after the incident in possession of Informanté a seemingly drunken Mwinga appears to have wetted his pants despite his denials Wednesday that he ever did so.
Although he admitted that he was photographed at the scene of the accident, he claimed the pictures were doctored.
"Why would I wet my pants? These pictures are factious. It's just a ploy to character assassinate me," he said.
According to Martha Endjala, the Captain's wife, she was called by her sister's children who stay at the house near Wanaheda Police Station around 12h15 informing her that a Nissan bakkie had rammed into their wall.
"The children said the driver of the car wanted to run away before swapping seats with one of the boys he was travelling with so that it would look as if he wasn't the one driving the car when the accident happened."
Endjala said when they drove to the house they found that Mwinga who allegedly was driving the car when the incident happened seemed to have been under the influence of alcohol.
"It was fortunate that he bumped into a tree first before he rammed into the wall of the seating room which luckily did not suffer much damage. This man is a big somebody who is always drunk and now he is trying to lie that he wasn't the one driving the car," she said.
Captain Endjala said witnesses saw Mwinga trying to run away from the incident.
"He tried to drive away but the car would not start and that's when we hear he swapped seats with one of the boys to look as if he wasn't the one driving the car. He then later claimed that he was teaching the boy how to drive but how can one teach someone to drive in the middle of the night? He then later claimed he was coming from a relative's house to settle family disputes but in reality we know him as a victim of alcohol."
Captain Endjala said the case was not reported to the police because Mwinga agreed to pay damages to the fence and wall.
"His car was damaged and it had to be towed from the house."
When contacted for comment Mwinga initially refused to comment saying," Let the Endjalas give you the story. I am not ready for that (to comment). It's not a story."
A senior Swapo official who spoke on condition of anonymity said Mwinga has, for the past years, allegedly turned to beer mostly because of frustrations within the party where he is not being promoted.
"Mwinga is one of the long serving coordinators of the party and come elections he is used to campaign and after elections others get promoted to ambassadorial posts or Members of Parliament but he is left out.
"He has been regional coordinator for as long as I can remember. The previous regional coordinators for Kunene and Karas were all promoted into Parliament and are now deputy ministers but he was left out.
"The guy is now too much into drinking. Last time he went after a meeting to Tobias Hainyeko and got himself a woman and never returned home. Apparently he was involved in a fight with the woman and his identity documents were thrown out of the car and when people found them a manhunt was launched people thinking he had been abducted."
Mwinga could not comment on this after hanging up on the reporter.
My suspension baseless: Hanse-Himarwa ...as Pohamba act to stop Hardap crisis
Written by Patience Nyangove
Thursday, 17 June 2010
HARDAP Regional Governor Katrina Hanse-Himarwa has described her suspension by the Swapo Regional Executive Committee as baseless. Informanté is reliably informed that Swapo Party’s top four met this Monday to try and find a solution on the matter.
The party’s Vice-President Nangolo Mbumba confirmed the meeting Wednesday.
Hanse-Himarwa together with four others, Mariental Rural district coordinator, Steven Coetzee, his Mariental urban counterpart, Philipus Palipawa, Mariental Urban district mobiliser, Catherine Boois and Elma Gawagab, the representative of the National Union of Namibian Workers were suspended for alleged “perpetual anti-Swapo” antics that are fuelling divisions within the party structures in the region.
In a telephone interview Wednesday, Hanse-Himarwa speaking from Turkey said her suspension was a witch-hunt by certain individuals who want to serve their personal interests.
“I have not received an official letter yet informing me of my suspension, I will know what’s going on once I am back home. However my suspension has no basis, no justification. It’s just a witch-hunt by some people who want to get rid of me as Governor. I am not Governor to please individuals but people. They are some silly people who want me out of the way so that they can bring their own personal agendas. I don’t even know the crime I committed,” she said.
As the Presidency tries to rein in the situation Informanté is reliably informed that, President Hifikepunye Pohamba met over the issue with the Swapo party’s top three officials Monday.
According to a high ranking impeccable source within the party, who agreed to speak on condition of anonymity, during the meeting President Pohamba, the party’s Vice-President Hage Geingob, party Secretary-General Pendukeni Ivula-Ithana and her Deputy Mbumba reportedly agreed that although Hanse-Himarwa and her team might be wrong the timing of the suspension was not appropriate because of the forthcoming November 2010 local authority elections.
“The top four decided that even though the Governor and her team maybe wrong the timing is not right to suspend all like that. The politburo is expected to meet this Friday over this issue. There is currently a meeting at the headquarters about this issue now with the regional co-ordinator Nico Mungenga and the leaders assigned Monday to deal with the issue,” the source said yesterday.
The source further said the fight between Mungenga and Hanse-Himarwa is personal.
“You see Nico Mungenga is the Regional Co-ordinator but economically poor compared to Katrina who is the Governor and economically better off and so because of this they all want to flex their muscles to show each other who has more power at the expense of the party.”
The source equated Mungenga and Hanse-Himarwa as a marriage that has broken down over irreconcilable differences.
“It means these people are no longer fit to rule because they will never agree on anything no matter how positive to the people it might be. They are now putting their personal interests before development, unemployment and poverty.”
Mbumba confirmed the meeting but however said they had not yet reached any conclusions over the issue.
“We have not reached any conclusion because we haven’t received any documentation over the issue.”
Efforts to get a comment from Mungenga were fruitless as his mobile phone went unanswered.
Thursday, 17 June 2010
HARDAP Regional Governor Katrina Hanse-Himarwa has described her suspension by the Swapo Regional Executive Committee as baseless. Informanté is reliably informed that Swapo Party’s top four met this Monday to try and find a solution on the matter.
The party’s Vice-President Nangolo Mbumba confirmed the meeting Wednesday.
Hanse-Himarwa together with four others, Mariental Rural district coordinator, Steven Coetzee, his Mariental urban counterpart, Philipus Palipawa, Mariental Urban district mobiliser, Catherine Boois and Elma Gawagab, the representative of the National Union of Namibian Workers were suspended for alleged “perpetual anti-Swapo” antics that are fuelling divisions within the party structures in the region.
In a telephone interview Wednesday, Hanse-Himarwa speaking from Turkey said her suspension was a witch-hunt by certain individuals who want to serve their personal interests.
“I have not received an official letter yet informing me of my suspension, I will know what’s going on once I am back home. However my suspension has no basis, no justification. It’s just a witch-hunt by some people who want to get rid of me as Governor. I am not Governor to please individuals but people. They are some silly people who want me out of the way so that they can bring their own personal agendas. I don’t even know the crime I committed,” she said.
As the Presidency tries to rein in the situation Informanté is reliably informed that, President Hifikepunye Pohamba met over the issue with the Swapo party’s top three officials Monday.
According to a high ranking impeccable source within the party, who agreed to speak on condition of anonymity, during the meeting President Pohamba, the party’s Vice-President Hage Geingob, party Secretary-General Pendukeni Ivula-Ithana and her Deputy Mbumba reportedly agreed that although Hanse-Himarwa and her team might be wrong the timing of the suspension was not appropriate because of the forthcoming November 2010 local authority elections.
“The top four decided that even though the Governor and her team maybe wrong the timing is not right to suspend all like that. The politburo is expected to meet this Friday over this issue. There is currently a meeting at the headquarters about this issue now with the regional co-ordinator Nico Mungenga and the leaders assigned Monday to deal with the issue,” the source said yesterday.
The source further said the fight between Mungenga and Hanse-Himarwa is personal.
“You see Nico Mungenga is the Regional Co-ordinator but economically poor compared to Katrina who is the Governor and economically better off and so because of this they all want to flex their muscles to show each other who has more power at the expense of the party.”
The source equated Mungenga and Hanse-Himarwa as a marriage that has broken down over irreconcilable differences.
“It means these people are no longer fit to rule because they will never agree on anything no matter how positive to the people it might be. They are now putting their personal interests before development, unemployment and poverty.”
Mbumba confirmed the meeting but however said they had not yet reached any conclusions over the issue.
“We have not reached any conclusion because we haven’t received any documentation over the issue.”
Efforts to get a comment from Mungenga were fruitless as his mobile phone went unanswered.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Nigerian human smuggling ring busted at Oshikango
Written by Patience Nyangove and Max Hamata at Oshikango
Thursday, 27 May 2010
A two-week long Informanté investigation has unearthed how a Nigerian human smuggling kingpin has allegedly been cashing in thousands of US dollars on trafficking men, mostly under the age of 30 from West Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo to Angola via Namibia.
The investigation led to the arrest of Ben Karibo Nwahin, on Tuesday while trying to bribe Informanté journalists to withhold the story.
The men smuggled were mostly from Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Mali and Guinea. Nwahin who is married to a Namibian woman although it's reported that the couple is no longer staying together, is legally in the country because of the domicile granted to him when he married the woman.
He is allegedly known to boast that he is untouchable because of his status. Investigations also revealed that Nwahin has been working in cahoots with a DRC based Guinea national only known by the name Ausman in smuggling desperate men through the DRC via Zambia and Namibia borders en-route to Angola.
Informanté established that illegal immigrants from the impoverished West African countries enter the DRC legally because of the country’s lax immigration laws, where they meet Ausman who, through his connections at border posts, smuggles the immigrants into Zambia and Namibia illegally for at least US$550 each.
Investigations also revealed that most of the immigrants enter Namibia using the Wenela Border Post through an immigration authority contact before travelling to Oshikango.
Once the illegal immigrants enter Oshikango, they are under the care of Nwahin who smuggles them into Angola for US$1,300 for Nigerians and US$1,500 for non-Nigerians.
While waiting to be smuggled into Angola, the illegal immigrants who are often overcrowded and living under squalid conditions are kept in a filthy room behind Paulu’s Mini Restaurant next to Oshikango Garage.
The illegal immigrants are also alleged to be kept under strict isolation to avoid detection by the police or immigration officials.
Informanté journalists armed with a camera on 31 May 2010 around midday pounced on the room Nwahin keeps the illegal immigrants and found - two Nigerians, a 26 year-old man from Sierra Leone whose passport was last stamped in the DRC and a 42 year-old man from Mali whose passport identified him as Sanga Abramane. Abramane’s passport was stamped in the DRC before being stamped in Namibia despite him having passed through Zambia by road.
The two Nigerians fled from the house when Informanté arrived at the scene.
When contacted for comment a furious Nwahin denied being involved in the syndicate, claiming that he was a legitimate businessman.
He said the four illegal immigrants in the room were his young brother’s friends and when quizzed further, he said, “In our culture I cannot stay with my brother in a one- roomed flat. It’s not allowed.”
When Informanté visited Nwahin’s flat it established that although it’s a one bed-roomed flat it has a separate kitchen and lounge big enough to accommodate his so called brother.
“I am selling cars. People make stories to destabilise me. I bought that Jaguar and people are jealous of me. I have never taken someone into Angola illegally. I know who is giving you these stories. It’s Alina. She has a personal vendetta against me because I refused to sleep with her.”
Although Nwahin initially claimed he makes lots of money through selling cars later during our conversation, he revealed that the car business was not booming since this year he sold only one car for US$7,000.
Nwahin who is known in Oshikango for his high taste of good life defended his expensive life style saying the reason he bought himself the Jaguar with personalised number plates was to, “cool down my BP,” since he suffers from high blood pressure.
Police Inspector General Sebastian Ndeitunga said although he had not received an official report on the syndicate it was highly probable that it exists.
“It seems that a well organised human trafficking syndicate exists in Oshikango. The possibility is very high and not only is it human trafficking but also the illegal selling and buying of foreign currency and tax evasion. There is a lot of criminal activities happening in Oshikango,” he said.
Nigerian Embassy in Namibia, Head of Chancery, Sunday Fachano said they had yet not received reports of their nationals being involved in criminal activities.
“The Embassy is not aware of this. We are fighting crime. If we knew about this we would not hide it because we will not allow anything to dent our good relationship with Namibia.”
When contacted for comment the Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Elia Kaiyamo refused to comment referring Informanté to the Minister, Rosalia Nghidinwa who was said to be out of the country.
Efforts to get comment from the Acting PS, a Mr Kasheya, before going to press also proved fruitless as he was said to be locked up in meetings throughout the day.
Thursday, 27 May 2010
A two-week long Informanté investigation has unearthed how a Nigerian human smuggling kingpin has allegedly been cashing in thousands of US dollars on trafficking men, mostly under the age of 30 from West Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo to Angola via Namibia.
The investigation led to the arrest of Ben Karibo Nwahin, on Tuesday while trying to bribe Informanté journalists to withhold the story.
The men smuggled were mostly from Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Mali and Guinea. Nwahin who is married to a Namibian woman although it's reported that the couple is no longer staying together, is legally in the country because of the domicile granted to him when he married the woman.
He is allegedly known to boast that he is untouchable because of his status. Investigations also revealed that Nwahin has been working in cahoots with a DRC based Guinea national only known by the name Ausman in smuggling desperate men through the DRC via Zambia and Namibia borders en-route to Angola.
Informanté established that illegal immigrants from the impoverished West African countries enter the DRC legally because of the country’s lax immigration laws, where they meet Ausman who, through his connections at border posts, smuggles the immigrants into Zambia and Namibia illegally for at least US$550 each.
Investigations also revealed that most of the immigrants enter Namibia using the Wenela Border Post through an immigration authority contact before travelling to Oshikango.
Once the illegal immigrants enter Oshikango, they are under the care of Nwahin who smuggles them into Angola for US$1,300 for Nigerians and US$1,500 for non-Nigerians.
While waiting to be smuggled into Angola, the illegal immigrants who are often overcrowded and living under squalid conditions are kept in a filthy room behind Paulu’s Mini Restaurant next to Oshikango Garage.
The illegal immigrants are also alleged to be kept under strict isolation to avoid detection by the police or immigration officials.
Informanté journalists armed with a camera on 31 May 2010 around midday pounced on the room Nwahin keeps the illegal immigrants and found - two Nigerians, a 26 year-old man from Sierra Leone whose passport was last stamped in the DRC and a 42 year-old man from Mali whose passport identified him as Sanga Abramane. Abramane’s passport was stamped in the DRC before being stamped in Namibia despite him having passed through Zambia by road.
The two Nigerians fled from the house when Informanté arrived at the scene.
When contacted for comment a furious Nwahin denied being involved in the syndicate, claiming that he was a legitimate businessman.
He said the four illegal immigrants in the room were his young brother’s friends and when quizzed further, he said, “In our culture I cannot stay with my brother in a one- roomed flat. It’s not allowed.”
When Informanté visited Nwahin’s flat it established that although it’s a one bed-roomed flat it has a separate kitchen and lounge big enough to accommodate his so called brother.
“I am selling cars. People make stories to destabilise me. I bought that Jaguar and people are jealous of me. I have never taken someone into Angola illegally. I know who is giving you these stories. It’s Alina. She has a personal vendetta against me because I refused to sleep with her.”
Although Nwahin initially claimed he makes lots of money through selling cars later during our conversation, he revealed that the car business was not booming since this year he sold only one car for US$7,000.
Nwahin who is known in Oshikango for his high taste of good life defended his expensive life style saying the reason he bought himself the Jaguar with personalised number plates was to, “cool down my BP,” since he suffers from high blood pressure.
Police Inspector General Sebastian Ndeitunga said although he had not received an official report on the syndicate it was highly probable that it exists.
“It seems that a well organised human trafficking syndicate exists in Oshikango. The possibility is very high and not only is it human trafficking but also the illegal selling and buying of foreign currency and tax evasion. There is a lot of criminal activities happening in Oshikango,” he said.
Nigerian Embassy in Namibia, Head of Chancery, Sunday Fachano said they had yet not received reports of their nationals being involved in criminal activities.
“The Embassy is not aware of this. We are fighting crime. If we knew about this we would not hide it because we will not allow anything to dent our good relationship with Namibia.”
When contacted for comment the Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Elia Kaiyamo refused to comment referring Informanté to the Minister, Rosalia Nghidinwa who was said to be out of the country.
Efforts to get comment from the Acting PS, a Mr Kasheya, before going to press also proved fruitless as he was said to be locked up in meetings throughout the day.
3 Namibian women with HIV say they were sterilized
By PATIENCE NYANGOVE
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER
WINDHOEK, Namibia -- Supporters of three HIV-positive women in Namibia who say they were sterilized without their consent held protests to support the women's decision to sue the government, a legal aid group said Wednesday.
The Legal Assistance Center said protesters began staging sit-ins at two state hospitals in the southern African nation on Wednesday.
The three women allege they were sterilized without their consent, and that the sterilization violated their rights to have children and not to be discriminated against.
The women are seeking damages at a High Court hearing scheduled for Friday. Protest organizers said the sit-ins will continue until after the hearing, the first legal challenge of its kind in Namibia.
The government maintains the women gave their consent and says it will fight the damages claim.
One protest organizer, Vicky Noa, said the sit-in was about women's demand for fair medical treatment.
There should be "peace of mind that if you have HIV you can still go to the hospital and be treated with dignity and equality," she said. "If we were scared that we might be sterilized we will not use the hospital services as much. We do not want to be denied the right to motherhood."
Mark Nonkes, a spokesman from the legal support group, said about 40 people gathered at Katutura hospital in the capital early Wednesday, waving placards and handing out flyers.
At a second facility north of the capital of Windhoek, patients and their visitors were supporting the protest there.
UNAIDS estimates there are some 200,000 people living with HIV in Namibia, about one fifth of the population in one of the world's most sparsely populated nations.
Veronica Kalambi, an official from the Women's Health Network, said women's rights were often violated in state health institutions.
"HIV-positive women are holding the health system accountable for the wrongs done to them," she told The Associated Press.
Sterilization is a drastic tactic to treat HIV-positive women, as mother-to-child transmission of HIV/AIDS can be prevented with medication.
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER
WINDHOEK, Namibia -- Supporters of three HIV-positive women in Namibia who say they were sterilized without their consent held protests to support the women's decision to sue the government, a legal aid group said Wednesday.
The Legal Assistance Center said protesters began staging sit-ins at two state hospitals in the southern African nation on Wednesday.
The three women allege they were sterilized without their consent, and that the sterilization violated their rights to have children and not to be discriminated against.
The women are seeking damages at a High Court hearing scheduled for Friday. Protest organizers said the sit-ins will continue until after the hearing, the first legal challenge of its kind in Namibia.
The government maintains the women gave their consent and says it will fight the damages claim.
One protest organizer, Vicky Noa, said the sit-in was about women's demand for fair medical treatment.
There should be "peace of mind that if you have HIV you can still go to the hospital and be treated with dignity and equality," she said. "If we were scared that we might be sterilized we will not use the hospital services as much. We do not want to be denied the right to motherhood."
Mark Nonkes, a spokesman from the legal support group, said about 40 people gathered at Katutura hospital in the capital early Wednesday, waving placards and handing out flyers.
At a second facility north of the capital of Windhoek, patients and their visitors were supporting the protest there.
UNAIDS estimates there are some 200,000 people living with HIV in Namibia, about one fifth of the population in one of the world's most sparsely populated nations.
Veronica Kalambi, an official from the Women's Health Network, said women's rights were often violated in state health institutions.
"HIV-positive women are holding the health system accountable for the wrongs done to them," she told The Associated Press.
Sterilization is a drastic tactic to treat HIV-positive women, as mother-to-child transmission of HIV/AIDS can be prevented with medication.
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