WALVIS BAY – Former Rössing Uranium employee Hendrik Bok, 60, was arrested by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) last week on charges related to tender fraud.
Bok, who served as a pit superintendent at the mine, is accused of allegedly soliciting and accepting a bribe of N$250 000 or improvements of this value on his plot in Usakos. The bribery allegedly occurred between December 2012 and December 2016.
He allegedly took the bribe from Hendrik Johannes Nel, a general manager of Mosmart Investments Namibia, who tendered during the same period for a dust suppression tender at Rössing.
Bok, who served on the tender board of Rössing, allegedly influenced scores in favour of Mosmart Namibia during the tender process in order for the company to get the contract.
He also faces a second charge in which he is also accused of corruptly scoring Mosmart Namibia higher than all those who tendered between 2013 and 2016 for a rock break tender.
The former pit superintendent was allegedly paid N$40 000 and further benefited by pocketing 0.50 percent of the value for every ton of uranium mined under the tender.
The accused made his first court appearance on Wednesday last week in the Usakos Magistrate’s Court and was granted bail of N$8000 with conditions attached to it.
Bok had to hand in all his travelling documents to the investigating officer of ACC, Walter Kurz. He is also expected to report three times a week at the Usakos police station and should also not leave the district of Usakos without notifying Kurz.
His case was postponed until the 31 January 2019 for plea and trial.