Police canteen a den of iniquity

THE Police canteen run by the Namibian Defence Force (NDF) at Keetmanshoop continues to be a nuisance for local residents.

The NDF leases the canteen that is located on the local Police charge office premises.A local resident claimed in an SMS to The Namibian that army and Police officers allegedly plied girls with alcohol at the canteen before having sex with them. The sexual activities allegedly took place in upstairs rooms next to the charge office, said a resident who chose to remain anonymous. Residents claim that the canteen has become a ‘haven of drunkenness and impregnating of school dropouts’. Recently the mayor of Keetmanshoop, Moses Titus, condemned the ‘shebeen-style’ manner in which the canteen is run. Titus, a former Police officer, said only selected individuals and high-ranking officers used to be allowed into the canteen. According to Titus, anybody can now visit the canteen. Karas governor Bernardus Swartbooi last month shut down the canteen on a Saturday because of the noise coming from it – a move Karas Police Commissioner Josephat Abel did not take kindly to. Abel yesterday said he was not aware of the alleged sexual activities at the canteen.He asked people who have complaints about the canteen to approach his office.’Stringent actions will be taken against anyone overstepping the regulations guiding how the canteen should be operated,’ said Abel. In another SMS, a Karasburg resident complained that men in uniform were the worst ‘sugar daddies’ at the town.The resident wants the authorities to call them to order, saying ‘Police and NDF officers responsible for law and order at Karasburg are sugar daddies that impregnate the youth – the biggest drinkers – and buy alcohol for ladies’.