One of the Chinese citizens currently still in custody over the cryptocurrency scam that involved about 80 Namibian students, was allegedly assaulted on Thursday night in the cells at the Windhoek police station.
Haifeng Zheng, the alleged mastermind behind the scheme, suffered abrasions on his back and face after allegedly being assaulted by police officers.
According to information provided to New Era, some of the officers uttered racial slurs about Chinese people in Namibia – and when Zheng objected, they assaulted him.
His lawyer, Gilroy Kasper, informed New Era that he is registering a case of assault against the police.
Namibian Police spokesperson Kauna Shikwambi, however,
had a different tale to tell.
She said the information she received is that a fight broke out in the cell where Zheng is kept, involving him, and the police had to intervene.
She said the officers used minimal force to break up the fight.
Whether the police assaulted him is a matter for investigation, providing Zheng opens a case, Shikwambi stated.
Zheng is in custody after magistrate Monica Andjamba refused to release him on bail, citing public interest.
Zheng, together with his wife Jun, Fan Jia, Guo Linjie, Tango Muulyau, Haifeng Zheng, Li Zirian, Lin Shu Lin, Chen Wuyu, Neng Jun Wu, Wu Weiyang, Chen You Yi, Carlos Alejandro Batista Valdes, Toivo Herman and Ghim Hwee Chris Ang are charged with harbouring the students and forcing them to create false cryptocurrency profiles, with threats to their families.