Staff Reporter
Kunene farming- and school communities supported by neighbours and conservationists are rallying against what they term as an onslaught and campaign against a well-known philanthropist billionaire from England, Harvey Boulter, portraying him as “well-connected” and a recipient of special treatment.
Boulter is the third mega investor and international billionaire that are targets of weaponized social media portraying them and Namibia as a haven for the privileged and untouchable in the country.
Boulter is not missing or free. He is recovering under the watchful eye of a police guard next to his hospital bed from a gunshot wound through the hand he had sustained during a scuffle that led to the tragic death of his farm manager, Gerhard van Wyk, during a party on the farm Kaross.
Boulter is known in the Kunene Region as a philanthropist who built and maintains a school for 400 children, additionally investing in tourism promotion and the conservation of rare species.
A team of top police detectives was dispatched to the farm to investigate the events for which Boulter is facing murder charges. He was remanded in custody and is awaiting the opportunity to bring a formal bail application if he recovers sufficiently to appear in court.
The billionaire has already undergone two operations and more procedures are not excluded.
Reports from British newspapers stating that Boulter was involved in the sale of arms and repeated by some news outlets and social media platforms in Namibia were also refuted by a group of professional hunters and clients.
Ironically they revealed that a license to deal in arms and ammunition was issued to the son of the deceased, Gerhardus Pieter van Wyk, and which makes him the responsible individual for guns and ammunition on the farm and not Boulter as was reported.
The younger Van Wyk was given permission under the strictest of terms to deal in guns and ammunition under the company name SX Arms and Ammunition Ltd. The license to Van Wyk was granted in 2018 and will lapse in June this year.
The Namibian Police says it is regrettable that the force and Namibian judiciary is brought under suspicion by emotional social media posts that want to sensationalize an event where an individual lost his life while a suspect is in custody, and while an investigation is underway.
“It could have easily been established rather than copy the narrative and false and crucial allegations from British newspapers suggesting that Namibia is corrupt, where international investors have impunity, where the courts can be bought and where some investors have special status.”
The Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety, and Security confirmed that Boulter has permanent residence status and no other additional status.
According to the community they have noted that internationally renowned investors like the Russian, Rashid Sardarov, the Mexican buyer of Erindi, Alberto Baillères, and now Boulter are brought under suspicion while – like any citizen – they are obliged to follow the laws of the country, but equally are entitled to a fair trial and the right to defend themselves.
Boulter’s legal representative and well-known attorney, Evert Gous, says he is not mandated to divulge any information about his client, but he is confident that the judiciary will maintain its well-deserved international reputation.
