Presidency scoffs at investigating Geingob
Hengari says South African probe is enough
State House says it considers the Phala Phala saga 'a closed chapter' and President Geingob thus does not need to further explain himself on whether he abused his powers.
State House has rejected suggestions of investigating whether President Hage Geingob abused his position by using Namibian state institutions in a private matter of the theft of N$65 million belonging to his South African counterpart Cyril Ramaphosa.
Official records show that three national institutions – the Namibian Police, the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) and the prosecutor-general’s office – all investigated Imanuwela David, the alleged mastermind of the theft at Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala game farm in 2020, for possible money laundering.
The FIC confirmed to Namibian Sun this week that it handed its findings to the police and prosecutor-general. It did not specify what those findings were.
In what is alleged to be a grand-scale cover-up of the money-laundering crime, David was only charged for illegally entering Namibia and was deported back to South Africa – allegedly in order to pay back Ramaphosa’s money.
No police case was filed in South Africa against David or any of his cohorts in the robbery, while in Namibia, the money-laundering investigations – despite detailed findings – did not lead to any charges being laid in this regard.
In South Africa, investigations into the matter have been laid by different authorities. The public protector, advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane, confirmed that her office, an independent government watchdog, launched an investigation into the matter after receiving a complaint from a member of parliament.
Ramaphosa has since suspended her.
‘Trying to create a problem’
Presidential spokesperson Dr Alfredo Hengari insisted that his statement last week – in which Geingob denied colluding with Ramaphosa – should serve as the only truth in the matter.
Speaking on The Evening Review yesterday, he was pressed on whether Geingob was willing to subject himself to a local investigation and be exonerated, instead of simply saying that he did nothing wrong.
This more so after a confidential Namibian police report stated that the two heads of state spoke about apprehending David and returning him to South Africa to return Ramaphosa’s money.
“I think we are trying to create a problem here,” Hengari said on the show.
“You’re trying to construct an issue and prolong [it] without any basis because such stories sell and make for exciting headlines, but the majority of Namibians, who vested their interest in President Hage Geingob, are not interested in that.”
He added: “The matter is being investigated in South Africa, why don’t we allow that process to run its course? You don’t have respect for due process. You want to create your own investigation here, sensationally so, without any basis.”
‘Ample clarification’
When Hengari was reminded that the institutions and resources used in apprehending David were Namibian and not South African – hence questions whether Namibia should conduct her own investigation into potential abuse – he said: “There has been ample clarification from the presidency. The matter should not preoccupy us for a longer period than it is necessary”.
Insisting that his public statement should be the only version of events in this debate, the spokesperson added: “The media is trying to be sensational by looking for angles that are not there. You’re trying to create something out of nothing”.
“President Geingob did not at any point assist president Ramaphosa to apprehend any suspects.”
Official records show that three national institutions – the Namibian Police, the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) and the prosecutor-general’s office – all investigated Imanuwela David, the alleged mastermind of the theft at Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala game farm in 2020, for possible money laundering.
The FIC confirmed to Namibian Sun this week that it handed its findings to the police and prosecutor-general. It did not specify what those findings were.
In what is alleged to be a grand-scale cover-up of the money-laundering crime, David was only charged for illegally entering Namibia and was deported back to South Africa – allegedly in order to pay back Ramaphosa’s money.
No police case was filed in South Africa against David or any of his cohorts in the robbery, while in Namibia, the money-laundering investigations – despite detailed findings – did not lead to any charges being laid in this regard.
In South Africa, investigations into the matter have been laid by different authorities. The public protector, advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane, confirmed that her office, an independent government watchdog, launched an investigation into the matter after receiving a complaint from a member of parliament.
Ramaphosa has since suspended her.
‘Trying to create a problem’
Presidential spokesperson Dr Alfredo Hengari insisted that his statement last week – in which Geingob denied colluding with Ramaphosa – should serve as the only truth in the matter.
Speaking on The Evening Review yesterday, he was pressed on whether Geingob was willing to subject himself to a local investigation and be exonerated, instead of simply saying that he did nothing wrong.
This more so after a confidential Namibian police report stated that the two heads of state spoke about apprehending David and returning him to South Africa to return Ramaphosa’s money.
“I think we are trying to create a problem here,” Hengari said on the show.
“You’re trying to construct an issue and prolong [it] without any basis because such stories sell and make for exciting headlines, but the majority of Namibians, who vested their interest in President Hage Geingob, are not interested in that.”
He added: “The matter is being investigated in South Africa, why don’t we allow that process to run its course? You don’t have respect for due process. You want to create your own investigation here, sensationally so, without any basis.”
‘Ample clarification’
When Hengari was reminded that the institutions and resources used in apprehending David were Namibian and not South African – hence questions whether Namibia should conduct her own investigation into potential abuse – he said: “There has been ample clarification from the presidency. The matter should not preoccupy us for a longer period than it is necessary”.
Insisting that his public statement should be the only version of events in this debate, the spokesperson added: “The media is trying to be sensational by looking for angles that are not there. You’re trying to create something out of nothing”.
“President Geingob did not at any point assist president Ramaphosa to apprehend any suspects.”
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