Investigate Huang's riches
Last week's arrest of influential Chinese businessman Jack Huang has set tongues wagging. Huang is implicated in a high profile tax evasion, fraud and money-laundering case in which he is now officially listed as suspect number 5 in the matter that is before the Windhoek Magistrate's Court.
The loud brouhaha raised over Huang's arrest should be understood in the context that it involves a significant N$3.5 billion and probably Namibia's biggest fraud case to date. Of interest is the fact that Huang is a well-connected businessman, who has donated millions to Swapo, especially during their election campaigns. He is also a self-proclaimed friend of all three Namibian presidents. However, it is his business relationship with President Hage Geingob that has been hogging the headlines of late. According to media reports, Huang and Geingob co-own a real estate company African Sunrise Investment, which wants to build a township outside Windhoek. The firm wants to build 400 apartments, 24 villas, two mansions and a hotel in the upmarket area east of Windhoek. All this information only came to the fore last year, forcing the president to clarify his relationship with the Chinese businessman. Many people have drawn various conclusions as far as Huang's business dealings are concerned, with an absolute belief that there is more to his riches than meets the eye. The same Huang has been linked to the 'killer vessel', Ryazanovka, which has been at the centre of a storm around an application to export live marine mammals to Chinese zoos. Surprisingly government is yet to publicly pronounce itself on this matter, which begs the question of whether the authorities are doing enough to protect its citizens from abuse of power. Yes, it is Huang's right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty. But that should not lead to a deafening silence when it comes to his business dealings and by extension his relationship with the number one citizen of this country. If there are business people who sought to capture the state for selfish reasons, then it should warrant an investigation by the authorities and Namibians need to know exactly how much business personalities like Huang are worth and how they acquired their money.
The loud brouhaha raised over Huang's arrest should be understood in the context that it involves a significant N$3.5 billion and probably Namibia's biggest fraud case to date. Of interest is the fact that Huang is a well-connected businessman, who has donated millions to Swapo, especially during their election campaigns. He is also a self-proclaimed friend of all three Namibian presidents. However, it is his business relationship with President Hage Geingob that has been hogging the headlines of late. According to media reports, Huang and Geingob co-own a real estate company African Sunrise Investment, which wants to build a township outside Windhoek. The firm wants to build 400 apartments, 24 villas, two mansions and a hotel in the upmarket area east of Windhoek. All this information only came to the fore last year, forcing the president to clarify his relationship with the Chinese businessman. Many people have drawn various conclusions as far as Huang's business dealings are concerned, with an absolute belief that there is more to his riches than meets the eye. The same Huang has been linked to the 'killer vessel', Ryazanovka, which has been at the centre of a storm around an application to export live marine mammals to Chinese zoos. Surprisingly government is yet to publicly pronounce itself on this matter, which begs the question of whether the authorities are doing enough to protect its citizens from abuse of power. Yes, it is Huang's right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty. But that should not lead to a deafening silence when it comes to his business dealings and by extension his relationship with the number one citizen of this country. If there are business people who sought to capture the state for selfish reasons, then it should warrant an investigation by the authorities and Namibians need to know exactly how much business personalities like Huang are worth and how they acquired their money.
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