WINDHOEK – Lebanese-born Ali Fadi Ayoub – the seventh accused in the matter in which seven people stand accused of allegedly swindling N$4.9 million from the Ministry of Works and Transport in June this year – was granted bail of N$60 000 by Magistrate Ruth Herunga in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court yesterday.
Ayoub, 40, originates from Lebanon but his nationality is indicated as Namibian. His lawyer, Norman Tjombe, indicated on Thursday last week that they intend to bring a bail application when Ayoub appeared in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court.
Tjombe informed the court last week that he intends to bring a formal bail application. Prosecutor Henry Muhongo replied that the state intends to oppose bail, as Ayoub is flight risk.
The matter was remanded to October 30 when Ayoub’s six co-accused, will also return to court.
Ayoub’s other cronies are Jane Ndapandula Kashiyukile, 42, Manuel Heyn, 52, Brown Rasta Abraham, 39, Jacobus Totie Gurirab, 43, Berend Johannes Neels, 49, and Castro Mafitelo Lifalaza,27.
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) between June 19 and July 18, after a local commercial bank alerted the authorities about a suspicious transaction that the suspects had intended to complete, arrested them.
Ayoub was arrested last week Tuesday. Another accuse, Oscar Lifalaza is wanted by the ACC.
They all face two corruption charges, under the Anti-Corruption Act.
This was after an amount of N$4 945 057.01, which was supposed to be channelled into the account of K L Construction, was diverted into the bank account of Etanaka Trading Zone cc, a company allegedly owned by Heyn.
The intended recipient of the money, K L Construction, was awarded the tender to construct the road between Oshigambo and Eenhana, bordering the Oshikoto and Ohangwena regions.
During its investigations, the ACC found that Lifalaza, the works ministry accountant, facilitated the process of diverting the money from K L Construction’s account to that of Etanaka.
It has so far been established that Etanaka has no business relations with the works ministry or with K L Construction.
“It is alleged that Gurirab approached Neels at the Ministry of Health and Social Services to request the change of banking details of K L Construction (Pty) Ltd to Etanaka Trading Zone cc,” ACC spokesperson, Albert Mbanga informed New Era in July.
Neels allegedly involved his colleague Kashiyukile, who wrote a letter to the Ministry of Finance with instructions to pay the money into – unbeknown to the finance ministry – Etanaka’s bank account. This was supposedly because K L Construction had changed its banking details and had requested that the money be paid into the newly provided account.
To see if the money had indeed been deposited, an initial N$500 was allegedly withdrawn from an ATM.
After that the accused allegedly proceeded to withdraw N$2 million from inside the bank, raising suspicion among bank officials.
All six are free on bail of N$30 000.