A PETITION calling on the Kupferquelle Resort at Tsumeb to accept responsibility for the alleged assault and robbery of an Angolan national who stayed there on January 30 is circulating on the internet.

According to Debora Ribeiro, her father was violently assaulted after the suspects broke into his room at about 01h00, while he was sleeping.

"He was awakened by the noise and had a man on top of him with a metal bar ready to kill him. He got to defend himself briefly, fighting and screaming for help, but all in vain because no one heard or saw anything. Three more men entered and violently attacked my father and then took everything he had in the room and his money. They knew exactly what to take and where to look," Ribeiro writes in the petition circulated on Facebook.

She said her father was "severely injured and psychologically disturbed" after the incident, besides having been robbed of his belongings.

Ribeiro accused the lodge owners and management of not taking responsibility for what happened, adding that the police were allegedly not even contacted.

"How can they not be responsible for a violent assault against their guests inside the fenced, secured and private property of the resort," she asked.

When The Namibian contacted the lodge for comment, manager Elize Bruwer said: "I have nothing to say. Goodbye mister."

The owner of the lodge, Tia Henning, said the media would be informed once a police investigation into the matter had been concluded. She said she was aware of the petition, and that if The Namibian wanted a comment, it could be found on Facebook.

In reply to the petition, Henning's comment on Facebook stated that they regretted the incident and apologised for the inconvenience and harm caused.

"Kupferquelle staff did not commit the crime and cannot accept responsibility for the crime... We do have insurance to cover for any damages or losses ocurred in the robbery and we never refused to cooperate or give any assistance," she wrote.

According to her, the crime occurred despite the security measures taken at the resort, which included hiring a security company. She also said that the police were called to the scene.

"Our insurance company was informed as well as the client and if all procedures are followed correctly, the insurance will reimburse the client. The insurance is currently busy with a forensic investigation," Henning said.

Deputy Commissioner Naomi Katjiua of the Oshikoto police said none of the suspects in the robbery have been arrested yet.