Windhoek
The seemingly fraud-prone Ministry of Finance reportedly lost N$678 000 through embezzlement, as a result of which one of its employees resident in Rehoboth has been arrested.
Glorette Christine Gertze, 40, made her first appearance before the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday on a charge of committing fraud amounting to N$678 031.
The allege fraud allegedly took place between June 18 2014 and January 2016. New Era has learnt that the money derived for Value Added Tax (VAT) returns was allegedly deposited into Gertze’s own account.
Court documents indicate that Gertze wrongfully, unlawfully, falsely and with intent to defraud gave out and pretended to Ananias Iiyambo, as per the Ministry of Finance, that they were entitled to certain amounts in terms of tax returns by way of payment into their business account.
Prosecutor Erastus Hatutale representing the State informed the court there was no objection to Gertze being granted bail and recommended bail of N$20 000, which Magistrate Celma Amadhila granted.
The matter was the remanded to May 10 for further investigation. As part of her bail application, Engelbrecht has to report to the Rehoboth police station on Wednesdays between 8h00 and 20h00.
Gertze was represented by Milton Engelbrecht of Engelbrecht Attorneys law firm.
The latest case of alleged fraud comes barely a month after a group of Namibians and Angolans were nabbed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) in a massive fraud case through which the besieged Ministry of Finance allegedly lost a hefty amount of N$140 million.
The N$140 million fraud case involving 16 Angolans and three Namibians is still pending before the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court.
The 16 Angolans and three Namibians were arrested at the VAT office near the Deutsche Höhere Privatschule in Windhoek while trying to claim tax refunds.
The arrests came as a result of ongoing investigations at the request of the finance ministry into cases where VAT receipts were forged to claim refunds from the Receiver of Revenue last December.