Four Namibians in custody for alleged illegal crossing into Angola
RUNDU - Four Namibians are being held at the Gcriku Post holding cells for illegally crossing over into Angola.
The three boys and a man aged 23 were arrested more than two weeks ago after they attempted to retrieve a cow that died on the Angolan side of the border.
The boys are in grades 8, 9 and 12, while the older man resides in Angola where he helps the family with grazing for their cattle.
Speaking to Nampa on Saturday, the boys’ father Faustinus Shamarambo said the government of Angola initially wanted them to pay N$ 7 500 per person as bail in order for them to be released.
“After the involvement of Mukwe councillor Damian Maghambayi, who informed the government that the family members depend on subsistence farming and are unemployed, the fee was reduced to N$7 500,” he said.
Shamarambo however said they also cannot afford the N$7 500 and were concerned as they were only given until Saturday to pay or risk the boys being transferred to Minonge prison.
Attempts to reach the Angolan police were unfruitful as their telephone numbers went unanswered.
The councillor of Mucuso village in Angola, Mathew Kandingu, however confirmed the matter.
The N$7 500 is the standard fee we charge for illegal crossing, Kandingu said.
Maghambayi on his part told Nampa a meeting will be held on Monday with the Angolan Consulate which will be facilitated by the office of the governor of the Kavango East region.
The Namibian Police Force’s acting regional commander, Bonifatius Kanyetu, said they were alerted by Maghambayi about the issue and they are working on it.
By late afternoon on Saturday the bail had not yet been paid and the meeting was still scheduled to go ahead today. – Nampa