Staff Reporter
THE High Court set aside the police lock-out of Chinese mining company Xinfeng Investments’ lithium beneficiation plant in Uis following an urgent court application.
The Namibian Police had locked down the possession of the lithium beneficiation plant in Uis, the five containers at the site and several mining trucks on 10 September 2026 after receiving information during August 2026 that Xinfeng was in the process of removing the assets situated at the Long Fire Investments mining site and that some trucks had already been moved to Nigeria.
The removal of the mining equipment, it was argued, had been detrimental to a criminal investigation dating back to November 2024, which had found that Xinfeng and Long Fire Investments were conducting unlawful mining activities in Daures Constituency near Uis, Erongo Region.
The warrant which led to the locking of the mining site included the seizure of mining trucks and containers, but was set aside based on technicalities after Nampol conceded that incorrect sections had been cited in the Criminal Procedure Act, some of which do not exist.
High Court Judge Boas Usiku set aside the issuing of the warrant, declared it invalid and of no force and effect.
Usiku thus ordered that, within 24 hours of the granting of the order, Xinfeng and Long Fire Investments be restored to free and undisturbed possession of the plant and the containers by removing every lock, chain and other device placed by members of the Namibian Police Force (“the Force”) on the main gate of the plant and on the doors of the containers on 10 September 2026.
The judge, however, ruled that nothing in this order prevents any member of the Force from investigating any offence or from exercising any power conferred by Chapter 2 of the Act.
Other sections, which include the prohibition on removing, moving, loading or otherwise dealing with any vehicle, machine, equipment or material at the site, are still being argued before court. Nambili Mhata, the lawyer representing Xinfeng, also argued that the mine’s workers still face the threat of arrest due to these prohibitions.
In June 2023, Namibia banned the export of unprocessed lithium and other critical minerals as it seeks to profit from growing global demand for metals used in clean energy technologies.
Picture for illustrative purposes only. Photo: Xinfeng Investments
