Niël Terblanché
A frantic search for a kidnapped tourist by the Namibian Police assisted by various civilian safety organisations such as the Swakopmund Neighbourhood Watch was launched on Monday night.
According to the official police report provided by Inspector Ileni Shapumba, the head of the Community Affairs Division of the Namibian Police in the Erongo Region, the victim, a 56-year-old man from Italy was kidnapped by three unidentified men.
“The victim and his wife along with another husband and wife were walking along Libertina Amadhila Street. They were on their way to their hotel when they were suddenly approached by the three men who jumped from a black car. The men overpowered the 61-year-old woman and threw her on the ground. They then grabbed her husband and forced him into the Honda Fits before driving off,” Shapumba said.
He added that the robbers stole a small wallet containing some cash from the woman. The gang of robbers then decided to kidnap her husband because they saw the security guard of the hotel running towards them.
“The robbery gang drove off into the night and the search for the kidnapped tourist began,” he said.
Members of the civilian safety organisations said that the tourist was lying next to the railway line near the Mondesa area of Swakopmund. The man was badly beaten up and it is suspected that the robbers attempted to force the visitor to send them extra money via internet banking or other electronic means. “The man was barely conscious when found lying in the sand next to the tracks. He had wounds to his forehead, left eye and one of his arms. The victim is in a stable condition,” one of the neighbourhood watch members said.
Inspector Shapumba said that cases of armed robbery with aggravating circumstances, kidnapping and Assault with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm were registered.
“Further investigation revealed that the registration plates on the black Honda Fits were fake,” he said.
Shapumba said that the robbers managed to steal N$800, 150 Euros, several credit cards, identity cards, two cameras, two mobile phones, a watch, spectacles, and a golden wedding ring. The value of the stolen items is estimated at N$95,280.
He said that none of the stolen items had been recovered and that no arrests had been made yet.
