Niël Terblanché
SWIFT reaction by the Namibian Police and delegation from the Namibian Navy saw to it that a report about an incident where members of the Botswana Defence Force (BDF) intimidated tourists in the Chobe River over the weekend has already been handed over to the relevant authority for escalation on a diplomatic level.
The acting Zambezi Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner Nehemia Joseph confirmed that the matter has already been reported in detail to the Inspector-General of the Namibian Police, Lieutenant General Sebastian Ndeitunga.
Tensions in the Zambezi Region especially along the Chobe River have been running high ever since the death in the Chobe River of the three Nchindo brothers and their cousin from the Impalila Island at the hands of the BDF at the beginning of November last year.
“We immediately sent out a team of investigators to ascertain the facts of the incident where soldiers from the BDF pointed their assault rifles at game viewing boats loaded with tourists over the weekend. Our team was accompanied by members of the Namibian Navy,” Deputy Commissioner Nehemia said.
According to the acting regional police commander, the investigative team was able to establish that the tourist boats never strayed into the territory of Botswana.
Deputy Commissioner Nehemia said that the investigative team interviewed the skippers of both game viewing boats and when they took GPS readings at the spot that was pointed out to them they concluded that Botswana’s territorial integrity was never violated.
“We are still in the process of collecting as much information as possible and we are requesting witnesses to the incident to come forward. The fact that the BDF soldier pointed a loaded AK47 at the tourists that were in Namibian territory is seen in a very serious light,” he said.
According to Deputy Commissioner Nehemia, the detailed report that was sent to the Inspector-General must now be dealt with on a diplomatic level in order for the BDF soldiers to state their side of events and even for the country to possibly prosecute them according to their own laws.
In the aftermath of the killing of Tommy, Martin and Wamunyima Nchindo, and their cousin, Sinvula Munyeme tensions flared in the border region.
The death of the 69-year-old Alphonsina Mubu, the mother of the Nchindo brothers before the return of the bodies of her children to Namibia poured more fuel on the fire and anger erupted along the border with Botswana.
At the time, President Hage Geingob and his counterpart from Botswana, President Mokgweetsi Masisi called for calm.
President Geingob visited the region and the Impalila Island about two weeks ago to express his personal condolences to the Nchindo family.
