Becker threatens lawsuit over Phala Phala cover-up claims
Police commissioner Nelius Becker has threatened to sue former Fishcor executive Paulus Ngalangi, who accused him of having a hand in the illegal transportation of Immanuel David - the man accused of being the mastermind behind a burglary at South African president Cyril Ramaphosa's game farm - into Namibia in 2020.
Former Fishcor finance chief Ngalangi, who was arrested alongside David in Windhoek in June 2020, has threatened to ‘spill the beans’ about Becker’s alleged involvement in the illegal transportation of David into Namibia. After the arrests, Becker produced an explosive police intelligence report detailing the role allegedly played by David and his accomplices in the Phala Phala scandal. The Becker report is the most revealing into the saga that transcended the two neighbouring countries.
It was alleged that David smuggled N$7 million into Namibia when he canoed down the Orange River on 12 June 2020 and entered the country illegally.
Two days later, he was arrested at an apartment complex in the Windhoek CBD on charges of violating the Immigration Control Act for illegally entering Namibia and contravening the Covid-19 lockdown regulations that applied at the time.
‘Significant misconduct’
Becker’s confidential report, dated 21 June 2020, stated that David told police he paid N$50 000 to a syndicate that was allegedly smuggling people between South Africa to help him enter the country illegally. The report also stated that Ngalangi was roped in to allegedly collect David from Noordoewer on the Namibian side of the border after he illegally crossed the Orange River.
A Namibian police officer, Sergeant Hendrick Hidipo Nghede from the tourism protection sub-division in Lüderitz, is said to have accompanied the pair on the trip. He was also arrested.
However, last week, Ngalangi announced on social media that he would soon make information public that would implicate Becker.
“Despite being subjected to a four-year ordeal, requiring repeated travel to Noordoewer for a minor immigration issue for which I bear no responsibility, I have decided to disclose the truth behind a significant misconduct,” he wrote.
“Soon, I will demonstrate how the police facilitated the illegal border crossing of [David], allowing him to travel all the way through to Windhoek, an individual accused in the Phala Phala farm burglary, under the directives of [Becker].
“I will expose lies disseminated to the media at the time, the motivations behind them, and Becker's unsuccessful attempts to protect his subordinate from prosecution while pointing his fingers in my direction. I am beyond sick and tired of this matter. [Becker] is welcome to seek recourse from the courts if any of my assertions are unfounded,” Ngalangi, who previously indicated that he has been finding it hard to find a job because of the Phala Phala albatross around his neck, posted on Facebook.
‘Utter nonsense’
Approached for comment yesterday, Becker said Ngalangi’s post is ‘utter nonsense’. He added that he was not involved in the David matter until he was already arrested in Namibia.
“I have never been involved with that person until he was in the country. Police officers arrested him at some place near Avani [Hotel]. I was informed and I conveyed that information to [then] Inspector-General Sebastian Ndeitunga and others involved. I was the head of [the criminal investigations directorate], so the matter was reported to me. I never transported anyone. I will sue his ass off,” he said.
Becker added: “This is ridiculous, he is sucking it from his thumb. I will definitely take him to court. He must verify his facts. I’m not gonna jump into the car to [drive to] the border post to pick him [David] up. I would not have gotten involved on the ground like that. The information given to me was given by sources in the police".
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Former Fishcor finance chief Ngalangi, who was arrested alongside David in Windhoek in June 2020, has threatened to ‘spill the beans’ about Becker’s alleged involvement in the illegal transportation of David into Namibia. After the arrests, Becker produced an explosive police intelligence report detailing the role allegedly played by David and his accomplices in the Phala Phala scandal. The Becker report is the most revealing into the saga that transcended the two neighbouring countries.
It was alleged that David smuggled N$7 million into Namibia when he canoed down the Orange River on 12 June 2020 and entered the country illegally.
Two days later, he was arrested at an apartment complex in the Windhoek CBD on charges of violating the Immigration Control Act for illegally entering Namibia and contravening the Covid-19 lockdown regulations that applied at the time.
‘Significant misconduct’
Becker’s confidential report, dated 21 June 2020, stated that David told police he paid N$50 000 to a syndicate that was allegedly smuggling people between South Africa to help him enter the country illegally. The report also stated that Ngalangi was roped in to allegedly collect David from Noordoewer on the Namibian side of the border after he illegally crossed the Orange River.
A Namibian police officer, Sergeant Hendrick Hidipo Nghede from the tourism protection sub-division in Lüderitz, is said to have accompanied the pair on the trip. He was also arrested.
However, last week, Ngalangi announced on social media that he would soon make information public that would implicate Becker.
“Despite being subjected to a four-year ordeal, requiring repeated travel to Noordoewer for a minor immigration issue for which I bear no responsibility, I have decided to disclose the truth behind a significant misconduct,” he wrote.
“Soon, I will demonstrate how the police facilitated the illegal border crossing of [David], allowing him to travel all the way through to Windhoek, an individual accused in the Phala Phala farm burglary, under the directives of [Becker].
“I will expose lies disseminated to the media at the time, the motivations behind them, and Becker's unsuccessful attempts to protect his subordinate from prosecution while pointing his fingers in my direction. I am beyond sick and tired of this matter. [Becker] is welcome to seek recourse from the courts if any of my assertions are unfounded,” Ngalangi, who previously indicated that he has been finding it hard to find a job because of the Phala Phala albatross around his neck, posted on Facebook.
‘Utter nonsense’
Approached for comment yesterday, Becker said Ngalangi’s post is ‘utter nonsense’. He added that he was not involved in the David matter until he was already arrested in Namibia.
“I have never been involved with that person until he was in the country. Police officers arrested him at some place near Avani [Hotel]. I was informed and I conveyed that information to [then] Inspector-General Sebastian Ndeitunga and others involved. I was the head of [the criminal investigations directorate], so the matter was reported to me. I never transported anyone. I will sue his ass off,” he said.
Becker added: “This is ridiculous, he is sucking it from his thumb. I will definitely take him to court. He must verify his facts. I’m not gonna jump into the car to [drive to] the border post to pick him [David] up. I would not have gotten involved on the ground like that. The information given to me was given by sources in the police".
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