Somalis to be deported

TWO Somalis and one citizen of Sierra Leone are about to be deported from Namibia after it was found that they are illegally in the country.

The three foreigners are for now being kept at the Police cells at Seeis, about 17 kilometres from Hosea Kutako International airport while arrangements are being made. The Somalis have been at the Seeis station since July 29, and the other since August 4. The three – Mohamed Said Mohamud and Duraan Ari Adeed from Somalia and Jallo Abdulai from Sierra Leone – said they were in the country looking for political asylum due to the crises in their countries, and that they want to be placed at the Osire refugee camp. Mohamud and Adeed were found in Namibia and Abdulai was arrested at the Hosea Kutako International airport on August 4 for having overstayed his visa. Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ambassador Patrick Nandago denied that the foreigners are looking for asylum. They first appeared before the Ohangwena Magistrates’ Court, and then before the immigration tribunal on June 29, that authorised their deportation. Nandago said the two Somalis had travelled from the Ariamsvlei border, while presumably hiding in trucks, and were apprehended at the northern Oshikango border. ‘We do not know where they were dropped off, but that is where they were found. They are not here as refugees,’ insisted Nandago. The PS said the Somalis initially bought air tickets via South Africa to Somalia, but that the South African Airways refused them boarding, presumably because they did not have transit visas, a recently introduced requirement for citizens from countries that are not visa-exempted in that country.