WINDHOEK – The court case in which a former private secretary to the Director of Extension and Engineering Services is accused of swindling the government out of N$121 749 was postponed to next month.
Former secretary Joyce Zussino, 29, stands accused of having defrauded the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry of exactly N$121 749.50.
On Wednesday the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court postponed the fraud case to April 17 2014 as the investigations are still incomplete.
Zussino was nabbed by Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) agents on March 5, and made her first appearance the same day. The matter was remanded to March 26.
According to a statement released by the ACC after her arrest, Zussino has a company called Tuahafa-Zussino Creations that provided services to the ministry.
She allegedly had a role in obtaining quotations from the ministry to which her company also submitted quotations despite the fact that she was privy to the insider information and pricing of the other suppliers.
In addition, it is alleged she did not have the required permission to perform external remunerative work, the statement further reads.
She faces nine counts of contravening Section 36 of the Anti-Corruption Act, Act No. 8 of 2003 as per indictment.
Section 36 of the Anti-Corruption Act states, “A public officer commits an offence who knowingly and corruptly, and otherwise than as a member of a registered joint stock company consisting of more than 20 persons, acquires or holds, directly or indirectly, a private interest in any contract, agreement or investment emanating from or which is made on account of the public body.”
Zussion was released on bail of N$20 000 on March 5, which was extended to April 17.
Magistrate Ingrid Unengu presided yesterday while Prosecutor Henry Muhongo represented the State.
By Tunomukwathi Asino