By: Staff Writer
The Bank of Namibia has distanced itself from dealing with the N$1.1 million robbed from a Chinese national in Hochland Park, arguing that there is no law regulating how much local currency people should keep at home.
This is at the back of Eagle FM reporting last week that two robbers got nabbed at Oshivelo in the morning hours after they robbed a Chinese businessman of N$1,1 million at gunpoint.
However, the apex bank’s communications manager, Kazembire Zemburuka, said that in the case of foreign currency, this should be declared by all foreign nationals upon entry and converted into local currency once inside.
“There is no law that currently regulates whatever cash you need to have in hand. The only applicable laws are at customs when you are entering the country. You need to declare, obviously. From a forex perspective, if that is illegal, then that’s the issue that comes to the fore. So, it’s not a Bank of Namibia issue,” said Zemburuka.
However, second in command of the Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters (NEFF) and law-maker Kalimbo Iipumbu has said that it is time such legislation come into practice to reign in on Chinese business people who shun the banks and keep stashes of currency in home safes.
Iipumbu’s pronouncement also comes in the wake of his party, along with a horde of activists petitioning the trade ministry this year, demanding that Chinese national bank their money locally.
“We have been advocating that foreigners that are coming into the country, particularly the Chinese, there should be a law that outlines their operations, their way of doing business. So, why are we saying so is because we know and we understand that the way they are doing business in our country is that they receive our notes, but they are not banking this money into our financial institutions.”
“And it becomes a problem, where we are now finding it hard on where the money is going. Money is no longer circulating. Money is no longer within the boundaries of the country; it is within certain individuals’ houses kept for the purpose of trading it somewhere. The Chinese do business and take this money to their country,” he said.
In the meantime, presently, suspects have been found to possess an unlicensed firearm and N$200,00 plus US$2 000,00 in cash.
Last week, the police reported that six suspects came to the complainant’s on Wednesday at about 10:00 and held a security guard hostage before pressing on the doorbell, and one of the robbers forced himself in.
They demanded to be taken to the safe before ransacking the home out of three laptops, four cell phones and a CCTV memory box.
This also included cash in the amount of N$1,1million Namibia dollars, USD10 000 and N$24 000,00, all totalling N$3,3 million.
At the same time, yesterday, the |Khomas regional commander for the Namibian police came out with a confirmation to the effect that a cleaner who worked at the residence of the Chinese national has also been nabbed.
The commander also confirmed that a mere N$240 has been recovered from the cleaner, who also told the police that she had given N$12 600 to her friend, who is said to have proceeded to purchase various items.
These included some Adidas sneakers, two gas stoves, a double bed, and a Huawei mobile phone.
The police have also been informed by the cleaner that she handed another N$1 000 to her mother and another N$1 000 to her two sisters, along with N$2,100 to her landlord.
A laptop, Playstation console and a N$1000 cash amount has so far been recovered by the police from another suspect.
Over the weekend, another Chinese national had to fire shots after robbers pretending to be menial labourers forced themselves into his house and threw out safes with money.
Iipumbu has said that the culture of keeping loads of cash at home was making Chinese business people a target.
