Niël Terblanché
The Namibia Revenue Agency (NamRA) has finally taken matters into its own hands to release crucial medical supplies for the Namibian Blood Transfusion Service (NamBTS), previously held hostage in the Menzies Aviation Namibia warehouse at the Hosea Kutako International Airport.
The release of supplies comes after a series of bizarre events and questionable claims that have left many cynical about the true intentions of those involved.
Menzies Aviation Namibia had initially raised the alarm over a week ago, alleging that vital supplies for NamBTS mysteriously vanished from their air cargo warehouse. They pointed fingers at unidentified culprits while hinting that the stolen goods might still be held within the warehouse’s freezing facilities.
But as the story unfolded, it became clear that more than just medical supplies were at stake.
The saga took an intriguing twist when NamRA announced its involvement yesterday, by asserting its responsibility for handling and clearing consignments stored in the warehouse following Menzies’ eviction on 19 August 2023.
Citing section 46 of the Customs and Excise Act, NamRA made it clear that they intended to meticulously cross-reference the provided data and inventory list before releasing any cargo.
Since NamRA took charge, 16 shipments for Coastal Couriers and three boxes of vital supplies for NamBTS have already been cleared and released. However, this development has raised eyebrows and fueled speculation.
The United Kingdom-based company argued that they were prevented from entering the airport by the Namibia Airports Company (NAC) and Paragon, who allegedly used law enforcement to enforce the blockade.
Menzies accused NAC and Paragon of obstructing the execution of a court order and potentially acting in contempt of the very order they claimed to rely on.
Menzies Aviation Namibia still denies being evicted from the HKIA and has since filed a notice of motion at the High Court of Namibia to dispute certain findings of a High Court Judge.
