THE mother of a police officer accused of trying to defraud Vivo Energy of more than N$10 million testified on Friday in his bail hearing that fellow officers tried to dupe her of money to “secure his release on bail.”
The woman who testified in the bail hearing of Ephraim Kadhikwa told magistrate Monica Andjaba the two officers, only identified as Shapaka and Willem tied to coerce her to pay them N$100 000 so they could organise bail for her son.
When she told them she did not have that kind of money, they allegedly brought down the amount to N$70 000 and then again to N$30 000 and when she still could not pay that much, they allegedly dropped to N$10 000. Willem is allegedly the investigating officer.
Cecilie Manasse recorded the conversations with the police officers and Karl Gaeb, the lawyer of Kadhikwa, played the recordings in court. In the recordings, it can be heard how the officers explained to Manasse that they can “organize” bail for her son in exchange of money and how they knew the prosecutors in the lower courts. It can also be heard how they explained that as the investigating officer, Willem would not object to bail being granted.
Manasse told the court that the phone calls started even before her son was arrested. She also submitted several text messages to the court in which similar suggestions are made.
She further told the court that she also met “Willem” where he told her he can “guarantee” bail for son in exchange for some cash.
Kadhikwa was arrested on 27 February after he allegedly told Fernando Somaeb of Vivo Energy that he had made a payment in the sum of N$10 533 432 to a registered and/or authorised vendor and in doing so exposed Fernando Somaeb and Vivo Energy to the potential loss of the money.
He was in fact, the indictment read, not authorised or permitted to make such a transaction and the payment was not made to a registered vendor and as such he was being prosecuted for the crime of fraud.
During his first court appearance he was denied bail on the grounds that the offence is serious and the value involved. Further the investigations were at a premature stage and there was fears that the accused would interfere with the investigations and state witnesses. It will also not be in the interest of justice or the administration of justice to release the accused on bail.
Andjaba on Friday postponed the matter to 23 March for Manasse to be cross-examined by advocate Seredine Jacobs for the State, but also provisionally reserved next week Monday and Tuesday in case her scheduled court hearing fall through.