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Housing scam suspect arrested

2015-08-04  Staff Report 2

Housing scam suspect arrested
Walvis Bay The police last Friday arrested a Kuisebmond resident for allegedly running a housing scam at Walvis Bay. The suspect was bundled into custody for apparently selling housing applications to local residents for N$10 each. He claimed he was contracted by the Walvis Bay Municipality to canvass housing applications. The man, whose identity is known to New Era, reportedly concocted a web of lies and deceit and he even convened community meetings with locals desperate to acquire homes in Kuisebmond. According to a source at the Kuisebmond police station the alleged con artist promised residents he would facilitate home ownership for them from the municipality. He apparently convinced the victims the N$10 was only to process their application forms. Those who paid were issued with a receipt as “proof” they applied for houses. It was not clear how long he ran the fraud. People became suspicious after he failed to produce solid answers to those inquiring about their “applications”. “We saw more than a hundred people at the police station on Friday morning accusing the man of taking their money through a scam and making empty promises. Some even went to the municipality where they were informed the municipality had not authorised anyone to provide application forms for houses to residents,” said one victim. After the scammer was reported to the police he was taken in for questioning. “We don’t know how much he pocketed,” another victim said. The crime investigations coordinator for the Erongo Region, Deputy Commissioner Ottilie Kashuupulwa, could not be reached for comment yesterday afternoon. The mayor of Walvis Bay, Uilika Nambahu, previously warned residents to be alert to housing scams.
2015-08-04  Staff Report 2

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