Airport bribery investigation slow to take off

POLICE are not investigating businessmen Shapwa Kanyama and Nigerian billionaire Benedict Peters for their alleged involvement in a bribery case at the Hosea Kutako International Airport, but only the police officers who may have received bribes.

Police have, however, not been able to clarify to The Issue why no criminal case has been opened against Kanyama, Peters or anyone else apart from the police officers involved.

This comes after The Issue on Sunday reported that police are investigating a case of bribery and a security breach involving the alleged unauthorised use of the presidential airport terminal at the airport.

The presidential terminal is reserved for the use of Namibia’s President, Vice President, Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Speaker, members of parliament, the Judiciary and Cabinet ministers.

The Issue Sunday quoted National police spokesperson deputy commissioner Kauna Shikwambi saying that police are investigating allegations that a foreign businessman has been using the presidential terminal and that the said businessman has also allegedly been bribing officials at the airport. This comes after a complaint by the Namibia Airports Company.

However, this week Shikwambi sought to clarify that the case she confirmed was an internal police investigation looking at the conduct of police officers accused of receiving bribes at the airport.

This means those alleged to have bribed the police officers and other airport officials are not under investigation.

“The investigations started with allegations made against our officers. If the evidence suggests and implicates any other person, the investigations will be extended,” she said.

The Issue reported on Sunday that at least eight police officers, three immigration officials, three State protocol officials, eight Paragon Aviation Group ground handling employees, and an unspecified number of NAC and customs officials were under investigation for allegedly allowing a foreign businessman access to the presidential VIP terminal, also known as ‘Terminal One’.

By Shikwambi’s own response to The Issue last week, the said officials “allegedly received cash amounts to facilitate the smooth entry of a foreign national into the country, thereby avoiding proper security screening at the airport”.

The Issue last Sunday also quoted the police spokesperson as confirming that investigations are specifically focused on events at the airport between 16 October and 4 November 2024 and that a case docket will be submitted to the Prosecutor General’s office for a decision once investigations have been completed.

The Issue also reported that Nigerian billionaire Peters was a person of interest in the case and is allegedly the source of the bribes paid to Namibian officials.

Businessman and medical supplies tender magnate Kanyama is believed to be Peters’s local business partner and was at the airport to receive the controversial Nigerian businessman when money allegedly changed hands.

People briefed about the case told The Issue that police only selectively opened a case against their own officials about a week ago, despite the initial complaint having been made late last year.

Now questions are being asked whether the police didn’t just jump to open an internal case against its officers because social activist Micheal Amushelelo threatened to hold a mass protest to force the police to take action by last week Thursday.

Ironically, Amushelelo was this week arrested and fined in a contempt of court case brought by police chief Joseph Shikongo.

Shikongo went to court to seek recourse after Amushelelo violated a court order from last year barring the activist from making public statements about Shikongo’s December 2022 motor vehicle accident, which left five people dead.

Shikongo this week asked the court to compel Amushelelo to remove social media statements about the accident.

Shikongo said his court case with Amushelelo has nothing to do with the airport matter, and the two should not be mixed.

ARREST IN GHANA

While Namibian authorities seemingly refuse to investigate Peters in connection with the unauthorised use of the presidential VIP lounge and alleged bribery of officials at the airport, the Ghanaian government was not as lenient.

On Monday media reports from that country stated that Peters was arrested by the Ghana state security agency. The arrest comes after he allegedly blocked a road to a high-end residential complex over a dispute with the complex management. Peters allegedly blocked the road with a convoy of vehicles and what looked like his personal security team. The complex is situated near the Jubilee House, Ghana’s presidential palace. After authorities intervened, they found that Peters allegedly violated a number of laws, which included having cars fitted with police lights.