By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Namibian Presidency says there is no truth in allegations that President Hage Geingob inappropriately used his office to assist his African counterpart President Cyril Ramaphosa in an alleged cover-up of a cash heist at Ramaphosa’s game farm.
In a statement on Friday, the Namibian Presidency said: “… certain individuals and a number of media houses, out of context and clearly motivated by malice or other ulterior motives, have been suggesting, without any factual basis, that the President of the Republic of Namibia, His Excellency Dr Hage G. Geingob, may have used his office, in a manner incompatible with the laws of the Republic of Namibia, to assist President Ramaphosa.”
It added:” The slanderous allegations and insinuations made about President Geingob are outrageous and unfortunate. There is absolutely no truth in the allegations that President Geingob inappropriately used his office to assist President Ramaphosa”
A criminal complaint against Ramaphosa was laid by former spy boss Arthur Fraser over what exactly happened after the February 2020 theft.
Fraser alleges that Ramaphosa asked Geingob to help find the suspects, resulting in Presidential Protective Unit head Major-General Wally Rhoode entering and exiting Namibia using unofficial channels.
Statement By The Namibian Presidency Following Unfounded Allegations That The President Of The Republic of Namibia May Have Assisted President Cyril Ramaphosa “in apprehending” A Suspect Connected To The Phala Phala Farm Burglaryhttps://t.co/upJdv5aj6M pic.twitter.com/hEi7zIzS1P
— Dr Hage G. Geingob (@hagegeingob) June 10, 2022
The Namibian presidency said it had looked at Fraser’s statement to the police, which reads that “President Ramaphosa sought the assistance of the president of Namibia, President Hage Geingob in apprehending the suspect in Namibia”.
The presidency said the details regarding the arrest of the suspect in Namibia on June 14 were matters of public record.
The arrest was executed by members of the Namibian police upon reasonable suspicion that the suspect in question had committed some immigration-related offences in Namibia.
“The suspect was, in accordance with the law, subsequently convicted by a criminal court in Namibia and paid a fine.”
The Namibian presidency said after the suspect paid the fine, he left Namibia in November to return to his home country, SA.
“It follows from the above-stated facts that except for those who [motivated by bad faith and ulterior motives] would be quick to unnecessarily read something more into the statement of Mr Fraser, clearly the statement does not suggest criminality.
“It also does not suggest that President Geingob may have in any way participated in and/or abetted foreigners in kidnapping and torturing any person, as maliciously and recklessly suggested by certain individuals in Namibia and SA.”