ACC arrests border immigrations officers

THE Anti-Corruption Commission and the Police arrested two immigration officers on Thursday for allegedly taking a bribe from illegal immigrants at a border post.

ACC Director Paulus Noa said the two officials, Abraham Ludwig Willemse (39) and Ambrosius Hanabeb (31), were arrested at Ariamsvlei on Thursday and appeared in the Karasburg Magistrate’s Court the next morning. Willemse already has another pending case against him for allegedly “endorsing an expired visitor’s permit”.Noa said the two were arrested after they allegedly took a bribe of N$600 from a Zimbabwean family to extend their stay in Namibia.The ACC acted on a tip-off that a Zimbabwean man, his wife and a child were en route to the Trans-Kalahari border post via Gobabis and that false entry and departure stamps were used in their passports.The family gave a statement under oath that they bribed Willemse and Hanabeb at Ariamsvlei through another Zimbabwean national to extend their say in Namibia.”After their stay expired in Namibia, they allegedly approached the two officers to endorse a departure stamp and, at the same time, an arrival stamp in their passports in order to look as if they indeed left Namibia and legally entered Namibia again.They also endorsed an extension of a 90-day visiting period in Namibia, contrary to the immigration laws and regulations,” Noa said.Immigration officers at border posts have no right to extend the visiting period of a foreigner.Noa said Willemse and Hanabeb were positively identified through an identification parade held on Thursday at Ariamsvlei and also through the official stamps they use for work.Willemse already has another pending case against him for allegedly “endorsing an expired visitor’s permit”.Noa said the two were arrested after they allegedly took a bribe of N$600 from a Zimbabwean family to extend their stay in Namibia.The ACC acted on a tip-off that a Zimbabwean man, his wife and a child were en route to the Trans-Kalahari border post via Gobabis and that false entry and departure stamps were used in their passports.The family gave a statement under oath that they bribed Willemse and Hanabeb at Ariamsvlei through another Zimbabwean national to extend their say in Namibia.”After their stay expired in Namibia, they allegedly approached the two officers to endorse a departure stamp and, at the same time, an arrival stamp in their passports in order to look as if they indeed left Namibia and legally entered Namibia again.They also endorsed an extension of a 90-day visiting period in Namibia, contrary to the immigration laws and regulations,” Noa said.Immigration officers at border posts have no right to extend the visiting period of a foreigner.Noa said Willemse and Hanabeb were positively identified through an identification parade held on Thursday at Ariamsvlei and also through the official stamps they use for work.