Africa-Press – Namibia. THE police in the Omusati region have arrested eight Bangladesh nationals suspected of being victims of human trafficking.
The eight were arrested at Werda Gate in the Kunene region earlier this month.
Omusati police commissioner Ismael Basson confirmed the arrest to The Namibian yesterday.
Basson said the eight appeared in the Outapi Magistrate’s Court on charges of entering the country illegally last Thursday and paid a fine of N$5 000 on Sunday.
“We suspect they were being trafficked, but it’s not confirmed yet,” he said.
According to Basson, the eight are Hassan Mehedi (18), Islam Sariful (25), Shahjalal Islam (25), Rari Santon (23) Miah Sajid (22), MD Anamul Hossain (24), Ali Mohamend (19) and Elias Ankanda (35).
Basson said it is not clear how or why they came to Namibia.
According to a source close to the matter, the eight entered Namibia from Angola through an entry point at Etayi in the Omusati region.
This is reportedly not the only group of alleged trafficking victims, as another group of eight has been arrested in the region, however, this was not made public.
“They are trafficked from Dubai and brought to Angola, where they were provided with fake Angolan visas. They were being trafficked to South Africa where they were going to be used for cheap labour, and we suspect they may be used as rebels and for rituals,” the source says.
The arrested victims are reportedly emaciated and were on painkillers at the time of their arrest.
“Those who bring them to Namibia bring them in the night, and they know the area very well, because they don’t use the border posts, they use other entry points,” the source says.
A third group was reportedly arrested at the Oshivelo checkpoint in the Oshikoto region, as well as other parts of the country.
In September the Oshana police arrested 12 Bangladeshi nationals who were housed at a guest house at Ondangwa.
A police source says they raided the two guest houses and a hotel, where the Bangladeshi nationals were housed.
Others allegedly escaped in a government truck in which they were hidden while leaving a guest house.
“The truck was intercepted about 35km from Omuthiya, and the Bangladesh nationalsi were not inside. When the driver and a Cuban doctor, who were the occupants of the truck, were asked about the whereabouts of the Bangladeshi nationals, they said they did not know where they were,” the source says.
They were later allegedly dropped off at a guest house at Ondangwa.
Police chief inspector general Joseph Shikongo yesterday did not answer calls to his cellphone for comment.
Deputy inspector general Elias Mutota said he was not aware of the arrest of any foreign national in the Omusati region or any other part of the country.
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