Andrew Kathindi
The ongoing joint investigation between the Namibian Police and officials from Botswana into the fatal killing of four fishermen, three of them Namibian brothers, has been concluded in Botswana, Nampol Inspector General, Sebastian Ndeitunga, has revealed.
Ndeitunga told Windhoek Observer that the team has since began investigations from the Namibian side of the border, and will report their findings once completed.
“The team is done in Botswana. They are now in Namibia. They are interviewing witnesses from the Namibian side. They are at the scene where it happened, from the Namibian side,” he said. This comes as a team of three Nampol detectives, led by Deputy Commissioner Sydney Philander, was in the neighbouring country as part of a joint investigation team. “The investigations were rounded up in Botswana on Friday, 20 November, and began in Namibia on Saturday, 21 November,” the Nampol head said. He was, however, mum on what has been discovered from the neighboring country’s side from investigations conducted , and when the whole investigation will be concluded. “They will advise us on what the next step is after. It depends on them on whether this is the final step or if they still need something else.”
Ndeitunga also previously told Windhoek Observer that the team would be given as much time as needed to complete the investigations.
“We will then depend on the joint team to tell us if they’ve covered all the bases of the investigations. If they need more time to investigate, we’ll allow them.”
This comes as protestors, named the Namibian anti-BDF Terrorism Protest Group, issued on Friday, 20 November, a petition with new demands to President Hage Geingob, among them for the joint investigations to be completed within five days. The protestors also gave the President five days to deliver feedback on their demands in the petition.
Among the list of new demands from the protestors was the immediate transfer of Deputy Commissioner and Crime Investigation Coordinator for Zambezi Region, Evans Simasiku, and that the chief of the Namibia Defense Force (NDF) at Impalila Island Naval Base also be transferred. “They are simply not good enough to deal with the challenges in that area.”
On the protestors demands for the removal Simasiku,Ndeitunga said, “ there is no reason to redeploy him. I have not received anything formal. I have never received any complaint before about Simasiku. I only redeploy officers where there is a need to.”
Minister of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security, Frans Kapofi, said, “It will take time. When you’re dealing with matters between two states, it’s an elaborate thing. It’s not a straight forward thing.” Earlier this month, Botswana government Spokesperson, Andrew Sesinyi, had confirmed that Botswana President, Mokgweetsi Masisi, had dispatch a high-level Cabinet Team to the border areas between Namibia and Botswana on Tuesday 17 November. The team was sent with the aim of resolving high tensions between citizens of the two countries.
