WINDHOEK – Prosecutor General Martha Imalwa lodged an urgent application in the Windhoek High Court on Friday to freeze an amount of N$800 000 in a FNB account belonging to a minor.
The minor is allegedly the son of a suspect in a fraud case that is being investigated by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
Judge Harald Geier granted the preservation order. Kavejamua Kazandunge brought the application on behalf of the PG.
The matter concerns Onesmus Nghitumu Taapopi, who is a suspect in a fraud investigation and trial.
The application for the preservation order pending the outcome of an application for a forfeiture order is in relation to an amount of N$1 061 124 that was paid by the NDF for accommodation services requested by the NDF.
The money was paid into the account of Sydney Hassen and Sons Trading cc which belongs to Taapopi, on September 18 2014. On September 19 an amount of N$800 000 was electronically transferred to the FNB account and a cheque for N$250 000 was cashed.
According to an affidavit by Imalwa, the ACC, following a report by the FIC about a suspicious transaction launched an investigation and discovered that Taapopi approached the NDF during July 2014 and enquired about possible procurement opportunities.
He allegedly informed the NDF that he owns a guest house called Aces Guest House. He was then invited to submit a quotation which he did. His quote was accepted and he submitted an invoice for 40% of the total fee upfront.
After some irregularities were discovered concerning the transaction, the NDF started to investigate and discovered that Taapopi was not the owner of the guest house. It is further alleged that Taapopi managed to secure accommodation for 16 NDF members at the guest house under false pretences and that he also duped a certain Jason Iiyambo into paying various amounts to the guest house including buying a geyser and providing the soldiers with lunch and dinner. It is further said that Taapopi is not registered for tax and as such he committed fraud, theft and money laundering.
The PG charges that Taapopi entered into an agreement with the NDF to house the soldiers while he was in fact not the owner of the guest house therefore making a misrepresentation to the NDF and to their detriment. His cc, Sydney Hassen and Sons Trading was not registered for VAT and the VAT number on the invoice does not belong to his cc and as such he committed fraud.
It is also alleged that Taapopi stole the money of the NDF and the cc because he never paid Aces Guest House after he withdrew the money from the account of Hassen and Sons Trading cc’s account which he fraudulently opened.
He also failed to repay Iiyambo the money he spent on the guest house as well as lunches and dinners he provided for the soldiers.
Taapopi and the guardian of the minor as well as any other party with an interest in the money have till November 04 to oppose the interim order.