Martin Endjala
Police in the Zambezi region are tracking down stolen vehicles from Windhoek that have made their way to Zambia.
The vehicles are suspected to have been bought with fraudulent purchase orders from public companies.
These purchases’ whereabouts are still unknown.
Border Commissioner, Kenneth Simbwae of the Zambezi region reported on Wednesday that they had received a tip to pursue suspicious vehicles.
According to reports, the vehicles had already entered Zambia when the police received the tip-off. It is also unclear what models the vehicles are.
“At this stage, it is unclear as to which company or who the vehicles belong to. But we are still looking for the vehicles, and once we have traced them and gotten the necessary information, we will update the public. At this point, there isn’t much to go on with, as we do not even have a case open with us. But we will update you as we get more relevant information,” he said.
NamPower issued a notice of warning this week about fraudsters who are allegedly sending phoney purchase orders to car dealers.
According to the notice, the company picked up a trend of fraudulent purchase orders being associated with the company.
“This is a scam designed to defraud unsuspecting businesses. NamPower wants to warn vehicle dealerships and businesses not to fall victim to this scam,” reads the notice.
When asked if NamPower was affected in any way, the company’s communications officer, Ingrid Hoaes, disclosed that the company had not suffered any loss as a result.
“NamPower did not lose any vehicles due to fraudulent activity. However, we would advise you to contact the Namibian police for any further queries or information,” she said.
The notice encourages businesses to confirm the authenticity of any received purchase orders and to take preventative measures, like contacting the NamPower procurement unit, before delivering goods or services.
Businesses are further advised to use the contact details provided on NamPower’s website, as fraudsters often opt to use different contact details on suspicious purchase orders.
Businesses are urged to report any suspicious purchase orders they receive to the company’s procurement unit.
“Your vigilance and cooperation are essential in preventing fraud and protecting your business,” read the notice.
The Observer understands that NamPower received a vehicle invoice on Monday, but the company did not pay for it because it had not placed any vehicle orders.
