Caprivi Group Leader Seeks Asylum In Botswana
Tefo Pheage | Monday May 30, 2016 16:22
In a press statement, the Namibian Police Force, initially accused of knowing something about the man’s disappearance, said that their investigations revealed that Kangongo completed an immigration control form at Muhembo Border Post, between Kavango East and Botswana border post to enter the country.
“The Namibian Police investigations into the matter confirmed that, Mr Retief Kangongo never went missing, neither mysteriously disappeared as claimed,” reads their press statement issued on Wednesday.
“A mobile phone of a certain resident in their neighbourhood (at Divundu) went missing, and him (Mr Kangongo) was then implicated in the theft of the cellphone, thus resulting in the family that was accommodating him putting him out of their house,” the police say.
The secretary general of the Caprivi Concerned Group, Edwin Samati, had accused police Inspector General Sebastian Ndeitunga of involvement in Kangongo’s disappearance after the police chief vowed to deal with the group in a local newspaper.
The Namibian press quoted police deputy commissioner Edwin Kanguatjivi saying Kangongo is likely to be deported back to Namibia by Botswana authorities. The government still has the challenge of Kangongo’s colleagues in Botswana who are facing deportation.
However, Mokuedi Mphathi, station commander at Francistown Central Police told The Monitor that they do not know much about the case. He said perhaps the Francistown detention centre might have a clue.
“But you are highly unlikely to get help over the phone as such are usually deemed sensitive cases bordering on national security,” he said in a brief interview.
The Namibian police have warned Kangongo’s colleagues against making disparaging statements without verifying with the subjects’ families and have threatened to crack the whip if there is a recurrence of such conduct.