Musician and TV Host Arrested on Illegal Immigration Charges

Musician and TV host Paul Da Prince has been arrested on charges pertaining to illegal immigration in Namibia. According to The Namibian, Prince is a Zambian national whose real name is Paul Munanjala. He was in the country working with the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) national radio, while other employees of the company have been on strike, demanding fair salaries and better working conditions.

On Friday, Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security executive director Etienne Maritz confirmed to The Namibian that on Wednesday Prince had been arrested for contravening the Immigration Control Act, and that he was taken into custody at the Ariamsvlei border post. He is alleged to have travelled to Namibia to study. “The ministry does not have any record of the application for a study permit from Munanjala, which means he never applied for a study permit,” explained Maritz.

It is reported that Prince applied for a work permit in October 2020, but that his application was rejected. “Currently he is not in the possession of a work permit,” Maritz stated. The director went on to clarify that any non-Namibian nationals need to apply for an employment permit before they may legally engage in work of any type.

This applies to anyone who may be seeking temporary or freelance work as well. Maritz did not provide an update on Prince’s situation but did state that the law would handle the case. A scan of his social media indicates that Prince has been released from custody.