'My health is not worth N$10k'

'My health is not worth N$10k'Serious accusation against top cop A female security guard says a police commissioner tried to sweep her case under the rug when a Chinese businessman ran over her foot last week. A Windhoek woman, who was run over by a Chinese national and dislocated her ankle in the process, says her health is not worth N$10 000.

Rusia Amunyela was on duty last week Wednesday at the TransNamib gate in the Southern Industrial Area in Windhoek when she was run over by a car driven by Chinese businessman Zhao Che.

Amunyela, who has since opened a case against Zhao, claims she never demanded N$10 000 as reported by a newspaper last week and was never given a chance to state her side of the story.

Amunyela, who is a security guard, said Zhao refused to comply with procedures at the TransNamib depot, where every car that enters the premises must be registered and searched.

“I don't know why he did not want to stop, maybe he had illegal items which he wanted to hide but I was just doing my job,” said Amunyela.

Upon Zhao's return to the entrance gate, Amunyela said he drove very slowly, but sped towards Amunyela and drove over her foot twice.

She limped away in pain and tried to call the police on her cellphone.

At the same time, Zhao allegedly telephoned a senior police officer, Commissioner Abed Kashihakumwa, who arrived at the scene within moments in the company of two men.

“Commissioner Kashihakumwa approached me and repeatedly told me that if I called the police to the accident scene to arrest the Chinese I would lose the case and that I should rather negotiate with the Chinese and settle for the N$5 000 he was willing to offer me,” she said.

Amunyela said Kashihakumwa convinced her to get into Zhao's car to be taken to the Katutura hospital.

En route to the hospital Amunyela allegedly learned that Kashihakumwa and Zhao were close friends.

The following day she collected her medical report and presented it to Zhao.

“I met the Chinese man with two witnesses. When he saw my X-ray report he claimed that it looked too old and demanded that we go to the private hospital or I take the N$5 000. I refused to accept the money because I feared the worst, that my foot could be permanently damaged, which money can't fix. I have five mouths to feed at home. My salary is OK. I don't need his money and I did not ask for N$10 000,” she said. With no accident report issued by the police at the accident scene, Amunyela cannot seek financial assistance from the Motor Vehicle Accident (MVA) Fund.

“I hope that Commissioner Kashihakumwa is investigated for misconduct, conflict of interest and for conspiring with a negligent driver in order to conceal the truth. He failed to report the accident to the relevant authorities,” said Amunyela.

Approached for comment, Kashihakumwa refused to say anything on the matter on the basis that the matter was under investigation.

Zhao refused to comment without the help of an interpreter.

JUNE SHIMUOSHILI