Iuze Mukube
Three individuals implicated in the alleged fraud and corruption at the National Petroleum Corporation of Namibia (Namcor) were granted bail on Friday.
Among the released accused are former bank employee Heidi Elly Boois and the relatives of fugitive Victor Malema, Martha Ndinelao Antindi (mother) and Johanna Hambelela Mundjego (aunt).
The group was arrested two weeks ago on suspicion of bank transactions and granted bail of N$50 000 each.
Their release came in the wake of the State’s concession, which no longer opposed their bail, as stated by public prosecutor Menencia Hinda. As a condition of their release, Windhoek magistrate Olga Muharukua ordered the group to report once a week, every Monday, at the Anti-Corruption head office in Windhoek, to lead officer Oberty Inambao.
If they plan to leave the Windhoek district, they should also notify Inambao. Antindi, who lives in the North, is required to report once a week, every Monday, at the Ondangwa police station.
She then postponed the matter to 19 March 2026 for further investigations.
Antindi and Mundjego submitted a joint affidavit on the day of their bail hearing, explaining the reasons for their release.
They claimed they did not actively acquire or distribute funds through Eco Fuel Investment or Eco Trading. They asserted a lack of knowledge about deposits and deny acting as paymasters.
While implicated, they argued they did not commit any offence and may have signed authorisations unknowingly. They statde that all operational and trading responsibilities were delegated to Malima.
“We both cannot read or write English and won’t, therefore, be able to identify that delegation of authority if presented to us,” they said.
They said the document is with Malima, whom they vaguely recall signing for agreements on behalf of both entities. They claimed that he sometimes gives them bank documents to sign without explanation.
They signed believing Malima’s credibility. Antindi stated that she only joined Eco Trading in 2024, and the alleged corruption occurred in December 2022. They denied knowledge of the transactions and innocence in the Namcor oil scandal.
Heidi faces charges of forgery, uttering, fraud and other counts in contravention of the Financial Intelligence Act, Anti-Corruption Act and Prevention of Organised Crime Act (POCA).
Antindi and Mundjego face three counts, including dealing with, using, holding, receiving or concealing gratification in contravention of section 45(1)(b) of the Anti-Corruption Act, money laundering and theft.
With the inclusion of the three, six accused in the matter are now out on bail. Among them are Cedric Willemse, Lydia Elindi and Connie van Wyk. Antindi and Mundjego are represented by Silas Kishi-Shakumu, assisted by Raimi Nghipondoka and Nadine Ada Shaamena of law firm Kishi Shakumu & Co.
Heidi is represented by Malumbano Sherrow and Gehas Katoma on the instructions of the Kadhila Amoomo law firm. –mukubeiuze@gmail.com