WINDHOEK – Suspended acting secretary general of the National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW) Alfred Angula is embroiled in a battle with the Namibia Farm Workers Union (Nafwu) over a vehicle for which both are claiming ownersip.
Angula told New Era over the weekend that the union bought him the vehicle, a KIA SUV, and the vehicle is registered in his name, as he is the legitmate owner. But Nafwu countered that the vehicle belongs to the union, is registered in the name of the union, and Angula was simply using it as an official vehicle during his tenure as the secretary general of the union. The 2009 Kia, valued at N$198 069 at the time of purchase, is currently in possession of Nafwu under the acting secretary general, Rocco Nguvauva.
“I do not understand how that this car was registered in the union’s name, this is daylight robbery,” Angula said, adding that he has set up an investigating team to determine how ownership was changed without his authorisation or identification document (ID). “I want to find out how they got hold of my ID, there is no way they could have changed ownership without my ID,” charged Angula.
Nguvauva brushed off the comments from Angula, whom he described as a dying horse giving his last kicks. “How can he come up with [comments] like that, this car belongs to the union and I even have proof from Bank Windhoek to prove that,” said Nguvauva.
Nguvauva said while he was on holiday he received a call from his sister that the Namibian police were looking for him in connection with the theft of a motor vehicle, a case that was opened by Angula.
“On 07 January the police went to my village in Ezorongondo accusing me of stealing a car belonging to Angula. I was further told that a case was opened against me by [Angula] at the Wanaheda police station but when I went there, there was nothing like that,“ he said.
When asked how he managed to change ownership of the vehicle without the ID of Angula, Nguvauva said he was instructed by Bank Windhoek to register the vehicle in the name of the union since it was being paid by the union through monthly installments.
According to Nguvauva, the bank manager could not understand how a company car being paid by the company was registered in the name of an individual.
Nguvauva further accused Angula of withdrawing money from the union’s account. It is an allegation that Angula denied. “How can I withdraw money from the account if I do not even have access to it, those are very serious allegations which they need to prove. Hey, I am not going to venture into that discussion, anything to do with money, I got a court case pending so I would rather not comment,” said Angula.
Nguvauva further said the union was left with no other option but to report Angula to the control prosecutor for interfering with the investigation.
Angula was arrested last year for allegedly defrauding the union of N$1.2 million during his tenure as the secretary general. He is currently out on bail of N$50 000. One of his bail conditions is not to interfere with the investigation. Asked whether he was interfering with the investigation, Angula said: “No, I am doing nothing wrong here, I am just trying to claim what is rightfully mine, I will call you back again on Monday with full details regarding the ownership.”
By Kuzeeko Tjitemisa