Eba Kandovazu
Iuze Mukube
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has confirmed that although former Namcor MD, Immanuel Mulunga, did not receive money directly into their accounts from Enercon and Erongo Petroleum, his actions indicate that gratification was created.
The same goes with Namcor’s former finance manager, Jennifer Hamukwaya.
This was revealed by ACC lead investigator, Oberty Inambao, during cross-examination by Mulunga and Hamukwaya’s lawyer, Francois Bangamwabo on Monday during the corruption accused persons’ formal bail application.
Mulunga and Hamukwaya are charged, alongside Malakia Elindi, Lydia Elindi, Peter Elindi, Cedric Willemse, Mirjam Hamukwaya, Panduleni Hamukwaya, Olivia Dunaiski and Leo Nandago, in a matter where Namcor allegedly lost N$400 million.
The suspects face charges including corruptly using public office for self-gratification, contravening sections of the Anti-Corruption Act, conspiracy, racketeering and fraud, among others.
Inambao said on Monday that bank statements belonging to Mulunga and Jennifer, which were accessed by the ACC, do not reflect direct payments from the two companies into the personal accounts of the two accused persons.
“The fact that there’s no direct payment into their accounts doesn’t rule them out from having committed an offence. We are talking about a conspiracy from October 2021,” Inambao said.
Bangamwabo also questioned the legality of the ACC’s confiscation of the suspects’ mobile devices upon their arrests, saying no warrants of arrest were issued. According to him, the court will render the evidence gathered from the phones inadmissible on the basis that the phones were illegally seized.
Inambao has since explained that provisions of the Anti-Corruption Commission Act and the Criminal Procedure Act permit them to seize property under special circumstances.
According to him, the suspects compromised investigations by alerting each other as they were being arrested.
“When we were arresting Willemse, there was a call coming in from Mulunga, and we needed to act swiftly. On that very day, our investigations were compromised, and that is why one of the suspects fled and is not here. All of them could have evaded justice,” Inambao testified.
One of the suspects in the matter, Victor Malima, reportedly fled to Angola minutes before he was set to be arrested.
The bail application continues before Magistrate Linus Samunzala. Meanwhile, Enercon CEO Connie van Wyk was granted bail to the amount of N$50 000 in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court last Friday. Conditions were attached to his bail.
He is one of 11 individuals charged in the ongoing Namcor corruption case.
He appeared in court with Austin Elindi.
He faces four counts, including conspiracy, two counts of money laundering, as well as dealing with, using, holding, receiving or concealing gratification.
This matter was postponed to 25 August 2025 for further investigations. -Nampa
Photo: Heather Erdmann