Cops probe SWATF scheme

MEMBERS of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) have confiscated the application forms of close to 6 000 former South West Africa Territory Force members hoping to benefit from a dubious scheme.

Payouts of between N$50 000 and N$65 000 have been promised to former SWATF members who sign up with the South African National Military Veterans’ Forum. Police spokesman Deputy Commissioner Hophni Hamufungu confirmed at the weekend that the CID was investigating the legitimacy of the scheme, which has been administered from Rehoboth.The application forms were submitted to Ingrid Freeman, who set up a temporary office at a house at Rehoboth to which hundreds of former SWATF members flocked, from all corners of Namibia, to register with the Forum.Hamufungu said CID members from Windhoek confiscated the papers from Freeman because not even the South African High Commission in Namibia was aware of the organisation.”They also have different versions about what they are doing,” he said.The Police were first informed that the Forum had money that was to be paid out to the former SWATF members.However, they later told that it was established to put pressure on the South African government to pay compensation to the former soldiers.”There have been conflicting reports about the organisation’s operations.People in South Africa say they take N$30 as a processing fee while here they take N$55.The difference is a lot of money,” Hamufungu said.No one has been arrested so far.The Namibian last week witnessed hundreds of former SWATF members from as far afield as Walvis Bay, Swakopmund, Opuwo and Rundu, some in wheelchairs, flocking to register with Freeman at Rehoboth.Freeman, born in Rehoboth but a resident of Upington, South Africa, for the last 17 years, claimed she was administering the scheme for free because she loved her people at Rehoboth.However, just by processing 6 000 applications, Freeman would have collected a cool N$150 000 [the N$25 difference between the N$30 charged in South Africa and N$55 charged at Rehoboth].The brains behind the scheme are a certain Isaack Links and GA Domingo.Both are based in Upington.When news reports of the scheme emerged, The Namibian was inundated with calls from former SWATF members asking how they could lay their hands on the forms.One Katima Mulilo resident claimed he had application forms for over 50 former SWATF members and wanted The Namibian to forward them to Freeman or Upington.When he was told that the CID department of the Namibian Police was investigating the scheme, he said he would wait for the outcome before taking any further steps.Police spokesman Deputy Commissioner Hophni Hamufungu confirmed at the weekend that the CID was investigating the legitimacy of the scheme, which has been administered from Rehoboth.The application forms were submitted to Ingrid Freeman, who set up a temporary office at a house at Rehoboth to which hundreds of former SWATF members flocked, from all corners of Namibia, to register with the Forum.Hamufungu said CID members from Windhoek confiscated the papers from Freeman because not even the South African High Commission in Namibia was aware of the organisation.”They also have different versions about what they are doing,” he said.The Police were first informed that the Forum had money that was to be paid out to the former SWATF members.However, they later told that it was established to put pressure on the South African government to pay compensation to the former soldiers.”There have been conflicting reports about the organisation’s operations.People in South Africa say they take N$30 as a processing fee while here they take N$55.The difference is a lot of money,” Hamufungu said.No one has been arrested so far.The Namibian last week witnessed hundreds of former SWATF members from as far afield as Walvis Bay, Swakopmund, Opuwo and Rundu, some in wheelchairs, flocking to register with Freeman at Rehoboth.Freeman, born in Rehoboth but a resident of Upington, South Africa, for the last 17 years, claimed she was administering the scheme for free because she loved her people at Rehoboth.However, just by processing 6 000 applications, Freeman would have collected a cool N$150 000 [the N$25 difference between the N$30 charged in South Africa and N$55 charged at Rehoboth].The brains behind the scheme are a certain Isaack Links and GA Domingo.Both are based in Upington.When news reports of the scheme emerged, The Namibian was inundated with calls from former SWATF members asking how they could lay their hands on the forms.One Katima Mulilo resident claimed he had application forms for over 50 former SWATF members and wanted The Namibian to forward them to Freeman or Upington.When he was told that the CID department of the Namibian Police was investigating the scheme, he said he would wait for the outcome before taking any further steps.