Kuzeeko Tjitemisa
An investigation into allegations of corruption at August 26 Holding Company, a Namibian Defence Force (NDF) subsidiary, is still ongoing, according to minister Frans Kapofi. The minister was responding to questions posed by Popular Democratic Movement leader McHenry Venaani in the National Assembly last week.
“You will agree with me that document-based investigations take a while to conclude,” Kapofi said, adding that the case relates to fraud, theft, tax evasion and money laundering pertaining to the affairs of August 26.
“As the investigations under the criminal case progressed, the Namibian Police, together with the office of the prosecutor general also commenced with the process of tracing of proceeds of crime under the Prevention of Organised Crime Act of 2004,” he told MPs.
He said the current delay is attributed to the fact that the police have to rely on a number of other entities to obtain the required documents helpful to the investigation. Some of these institutions, he said, are swift in the provision of these documents while others take quite a bit of time.
“We have been informed by our counterparts at the Namibian Police force that they are still waiting for documents and additional information from various institutions,” he said. Moreover, Kapofi said there are a number of witnesses who had to provide statements under oath.
“I can however inform you that majority of witness statements provided under oath have been obtained. I would like to believe that it is in the interest of all of us for the investigation to be conducted in a proper manner and not precipitously, for the matter to be concluded fairly and justly. This is an important case, and the police are therefore carefully gathering and considering the evidence,” Kapofi said.
“Given this information, and also the fact that the investigation is focusing on a period of over a decade, it would be premature at this stage to state when the report on the findings should be expected.”