The Ombudsman in Namibia, Basilius Dyakugha says he will not investigate the South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s theft incident at his Phala Phala farm in Limpopo. This is after the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in Namibia lodged a complaint with his office to probe the matter.
He says the criminal complaint from the EFF falls outside his office’s competency.
The EFF in Namibia is demanding that the country’s Ombudsman launch an investigation into claims that President Hage Geingob is implicated in an alleged theft incident at President Cyril Ramaphosa’s farm in 2020.
The EFF says the two heads of state have a corrupt relationship. Dyakugha says he will engage the party and refer them to the relevant authorities.
“I don’t really have a mandate to give legal opinion to public officials. That is the basis why I declined to investigate the complaint because my mandate doesn’t really go into the area of criminal investigations.”
Deputy President of EFF in Namibia, Kalimbo Lipumpu says a decision by the Ombudsman not to engage their complaint was not taken independently.
“We are still standing that you did not respond independently as the main purpose of your office. The idea was to see to it as to what transpired until suspects were arrested here in Namibia. It seems like there is an instruction from the highest authority instructing you not to investigate this case.”
Dyakugha says he cannot also rely on an affidavit from Arthur Fraser who is a foreign national.
“Mr. Fraser from South Africa in that affidavit, I also make reference written in my statement that indeed it does make reference to maladministration. But I said that the affidavit itself is a foreign document. It is not really a Namibian document. It is very difficult for me to rely on that document. The mandate of the Ombudsman is really within the borders of Namibia.”
The Namibian EFF says they will continue to pursue this matter until it has been concluded.
Meanwhile, civil society is calling on President Cyril Ramaphosa to tell his side of the story:
