Maria Amakali
Windhoek-The hearing in a High Court civil case is expected to reveal more information about the real estate deal in Swakopmund that turned sour after a Congolese major-general lost an estimated US$900,000 (N$11.6 million), based on the current exchange rate.
The High Court once again postponed the matter and it will return to court on June 19.
Erwin Rosalia Ludovic Spranger and Lorinda Heidi Spranger, a couple from the coastal town of Swakopmund, where dragged to court by Major General Francois Olenga.
Olenga alleges that the couple fraudulently used the money deposited into their account for personal use rather than for its intended purpose of property development in terms of an agreement they entered into six years ago.
The couple who own Kintscher Estate Agents and Auctioneers.
The papers filed in court state that the Sprangers placed the US$900,000 in their account but through an oral agreement they were supposed to use the money for the development and expansion of a property the general owns at the coastal town.
They reached the agreement in January 2010
Bank statements indicate that a company owned by Olenga, Breadfeld Trade Ltd, transferred US$900,000 (N$11.6 million today) into Kintscher Estate Agents and Auctioneers bank account between February 2010 and July 2010 in five instalments.
Erwin Spranger allegedly falsely claimed to Olenga he would keep the money in a trust account on the general’s behalf, but subsequently paid the money into his own account.
Later in September of the same year, Olenga requested Spranger to pay US$100,000 (N$1.2 million) into his account of which he only received US$50,000 (N$640,000), which left an amount US$850,000 (N$11 million) in the hands of Spranger.
Olenga requested the accused to return the remaining money, a request he said the accused did not heed.
Olenga who owns two plots at the coastal resort brought the application against the Sprangers to obtain a court order stating they must pay the remaining money back to him, with interest.