Newly weds threatened at gunpoint

MEMBERS of a wedding party were threatened at gunpoint at Swakopmund on Thursday when they tried to take photos in the public garden outside the President’s official residence.

The photographer was getting the newly wedded couple and their guests together for a group photograph when a man in civilian clothes tried to stop them. According to the photographer, Henning Schreiber, the man said they were not allowed to take photographs of the old German State House.”When I asked who he was, he said he was a policeman,” Schreiber told The Namibian.”I asked for his ID, which he quickly flashed at me, but refused to give his name and rank.”Schreiber said he was not convinced of the man’s authority.When he insisted that he wanted his name and rank, the man pulled out a 9 mm pistol and threatened the wedding party.One of the guests said it was a terrible experience, particularly as there were three small children in the group.Schreiber told the group to move away and called the station commander of the Swakopmund Police Station, Inspector Bernhard Uirab.Police officers arrived at the scene, which is just across the street from the Police Station.According to Schreiber the State House policeman refused to co-operate with the officers.The wedding group eventually moved towards the museum side of State House where they took photos.Schreiber afterwards reported the incident to Uirab in person.He said he was going to lodge an official charge of pointing a firearm.Uirab confirmed to The Namibian that the man who pulled a gun was a member of the VIP Police Unit responsible for guarding State House.He said the policeman claimed that the wedding party had tried to enter the State House premises.Schreiber and other guests denied this.They said the State House building merely formed part of the backdrop for the photos taken in the park.”This is great for Swakopmund as a tourist destination,” Schreiber remarked sarcastically.Tourists take photographs of State House on a daily basis.The bridegroom, who comes from Germany, was very upset about the incident and has apparently said he was going to take it up with the German Embassy.According to the photographer, Henning Schreiber, the man said they were not allowed to take photographs of the old German State House.”When I asked who he was, he said he was a policeman,” Schreiber told The Namibian.”I asked for his ID, which he quickly flashed at me, but refused to give his name and rank.”Schreiber said he was not convinced of the man’s authority.When he insisted that he wanted his name and rank, the man pulled out a 9 mm pistol and threatened the wedding party.One of the guests said it was a terrible experience, particularly as there were three small children in the group.Schreiber told the group to move away and called the station commander of the Swakopmund Police Station, Inspector Bernhard Uirab.Police officers arrived at the scene, which is just across the street from the Police Station.According to Schreiber the State House policeman refused to co-operate with the officers.The wedding group eventually moved towards the museum side of State House where they took photos.Schreiber afterwards reported the incident to Uirab in person.He said he was going to lodge an official charge of pointing a firearm.Uirab confirmed to The Namibian that the man who pulled a gun was a member of the VIP Police Unit responsible for guarding State House.He said the policeman claimed that the wedding party had tried to enter the State House premises.Schreiber and other guests denied this.They said the State House building merely formed part of the backdrop for the photos taken in the park.”This is great for Swakopmund as a tourist destination,” Schreiber remarked sarcastically.Tourists take photographs of State House on a daily basis.The bridegroom, who comes from Germany, was very upset about the incident and has apparently said he was going to take it up with the German Embassy.