Syndicate

Two men appeared in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court in Katutura yesterday after they were arrested for allegedly being part of a suspected syndicate involving buying the hair, sexual organs and nails of people with albinism for sale outside the country.

The incident has been described as “shocking” by both police and the albino community, which for decades has believed Namibia was a relatively safe haven for people with the condition.

Simasiku Fred Kaombo and Liwela Obrine were arrested in Windhoek last Friday during a sting police operation involving no-nonsense police chief inspector Christina van Dunem Dafonsech.

The men allegedly told their victims that they sell ‘albino hair’ to a man living in Katima Mulilo and another in Europe who visits Namibia to pick up the collected body parts.

They have been charged under the Witchcraft Suppression Proclamation 27 of 1933, and the case has been postponed to 29 June for further police investigations.

Kaombo and Obrine have been denied bail due to the seriousness of the matter and the public interest.

Joseph Ndinomupya, president of the Namibia Albino Association Trust (NAAT), and his deputy Walde Kambabi attended yesterday’s court proceedings to show contempt against the alleged acts.

Namibia has the most people with albinism per capita in the world. The country, with a population of about 2.5 million, has between 1 800 to 2 000 people with albinism. But the killing and torture of people with the condition – which is prevalent in parts of Africa – have not been an issue in Namibia.

Setting the trap

Simon Ndali* (not his real name) is the man who helped the police catch the scrupulous people preying on those with albinism in Namibia. Ndali, who lives with the condition, told Namibian Sun during a telephonic interview that he received a strange call during the holidays last year. The caller didn’t contact him again, though, so he didn’t think much of it.

Then, on 12 March, he received another call - this time from a different number.

Ndali said the caller asked where he lived, and he lied to hear more.

He said the voice on the other end of the line – a man’s - informed him that he wanted to discuss business, but not over the phone.

“My wife works in Windhoek and our children are schooling there. So, I was visiting the city. I told him I live in Havana and he suggested we meet close a certain kindergarten. I obliged. I arrived and waited under a thorn tree,” Ndali recalled.

He said when the man arrived, he went straight to business and told him he needs hair and body parts of people with albinism. Ndali said the buyer assured him that all they wanted from him was his hair for N$1 million per head shaved, and that they were not going to kill him.

“Immediately I got irritated and I was angry. But I quickly calmed myself so I could hear more and get to the bottom of it. I said I will take part in the business in order to make quick money. I agreed to sell him my hair.

“The conversation ended with him saying he will contact his business partners and they will tell me when to do the drop off,” he said.

Ndali said after one of the accused left, shocked and in disbelief, he called Kambabi and narrated to him what transpired.

Dafonsech was informed of the incident and gave assurance that she would get to the bottom of the matter.

Strange rules

“I continued my role play with the buyers on 14 March. When they contacted me again, I told them I had a sister with the same condition as mine and her friend who would also like to sell their hair,” Ndali said.

“He was thrilled and told me to cut off my sister’s hair as well as that of her friend.”

But first, there were rules to follow for the ‘items’ to work.

“He told me that my sister and her friend should not have sexual intercourse with any man the night before I cut off their hair. I was expected to do the same. He also said we should also not eat meat with salt, and we should cover our heads when we sleep,” he said.

In a recording of their conversation, which Namibian Sun has in its possession, one of the accused is heard saying the buyers are from Europe and pay from N$1 million to N$5 million per shaved head.

Police rescue

Ndali made the ‘delivery’ on 16 March. He was in possession of blonde braids cut in pieces in an envelope, which he received from Dafonsech. The police were watching the exchange from a distance. He was also on the line with Dafonsech to make it easy for the police to follow the conversation.

The buyers then told Ndali he needs to travel with them to Katima Mulilo so he could get paid in person there. He refused.

“The police approached us and questioned what we were doing under the tree. The suspects told the police they are prophets and were praying for me. Everything happened so fast. We were all arrested so I looked guilty and part of the team. I was only later released at the police station,” Ndali said.

“Since that incident I am afraid of going out alone. I never thought I would live in a Namibia like this.”

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