'There is absolutely no truth in the allegations': Namibian president denies assisting Ramaphosa in 'farmgate' saga

10 June 2022 - 18:53 By TimesLIVE
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Namibian President Hage Geingob. File photo.
Namibian President Hage Geingob. File photo.
Image: Sputnik/Mikhail Metzel/Kremlin via Reuters

There is no truth to the allegations that Namibian President Hage Geingob inappropriately used his office to assist President Cyril Ramaphosa in apprehending a suspect connected to the burglary at Phala Phala in 2020.

The Namibian presidency said on Friday that after reports about former spy boss Arthur Fraser lodging a criminal complaint against Ramaphosa last week, a number of media houses have been suggesting Geingob may have used his office — in a manner incompatible with the laws of Namibia — to assist Ramaphosa.

The presidency said these suggestions were made out of context and suggested they were motivated by malice or other ulterior motives.

“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.”

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”.

It said Fraser’s statement does not make any allegation of criminality on the part of Geingob.

Fraser’s statement suggested that Ramaphosa sought “assistance in arresting” the concerned suspect, who is an SA citizen and who at the time was alleged to have unlawfully entered 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.”

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