Customize Consent Preferences

We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions. You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below.

The cookies that are categorized as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site. ... 

Always Active

Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site, such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data.

No cookies to display.

Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collecting feedback, and other third-party features.

No cookies to display.

Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.

No cookies to display.

Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.

No cookies to display.

Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns.

No cookies to display.

Fraud accused told to get lawyers 

Home National Fraud accused told to get lawyers 
Fraud accused told to get lawyers 

The Katutura Magistrate’s Court has strongly advised suspects accused of working in cahoots with a former prosecutor to fraudulently scam the office of the Judiciary in witness fees to sort out their legal representation. Magistrate Mukuyu Dawid informed eight out of the 19 accused to finally finalise their legal aid.  

The matter has been on the roll for quite some time and has been postponed several times for the accused to attain legal representation so the matter may move forward.  

Thus, the court postponed the matter once more to 20 April to allow Festus Mweendeleli, Benjamin Amoomo, Eino Kombanda, Today Amoomo, Nepando Martin, Nghutinzo Desmond, Rose Roy, Kanime Nghilifavali and Ndjoze Leonard to get lawyers. 

The group is charged alongside former prosecutor Ivan Tjizu. Other suspects are Dave Valombola, Isai Nathanael, Pendukeni Shikongo, Gabriel Usko, Andrew Masipa, Sam Haiduwa, Paulus Fillemon and Sackaria Panduleni. 

The prosecution is alleging while Tjizu was working for the prosecutor general’s office in Windhoek, he conspired with his co-accused in scamming N$410 000 from the office of the Judiciary through paid out witness fees. 

It is alleged that the group fraudulently worked together with a web of people in claiming witness fees for people who allegedly travelled from outside Windhoek and were arranged to pose as State witnesses during court sessions. 

As a prosecutor at the time, Tjizu would allegedly misrepresent the witnesses to the presiding magistrate and as a result witness fees were falsely claimed and paid out. 

Once witness fees had been allegedly paid out to people who were arranged to pose as witnesses, the money would then be shared. 

Thus, the prosecutor general has decided to have them stand trial on more than 130 counts of corruption under the Anti-Corruption Commission Act.

The charges range from fraud to managing an enterprise conducted through a pattern of racketeering activities and, corruptly giving a false document containing false statements to an agent and money laundering.

-mamakali@nepc.com.na