WINDHOEK – Today, the Windhoek Regional Court is set to hear the trial of two men accused of attempting to steal N$1.1 million from Air Namibia in 2017.

The trial was scheduled to begin yesterday before Magistrate Alexis Diergaardt, but this did not happen, as the presiding officer was unavailable. Consequently, Magistrate Ileni Velikoshi set the matter down for today for a plea and trial.

Penna Munyunda, 31, and Tangi Amon Namwandi, 33, were arrested in October 2017 after a local bank dubious transaction in the amount of N$1.1 million. 

It is alleged that the bank alerted Air Namibia of a detected dubious diversion of money meant for payments to the Namibia Airports Company (NAC).

It is alleged the transfer in question was fully authorized and signed off to be paid to NAC when a suspicious request was made to the bank for the money to be transferred to a different bank account other than that of NAC.

Munyunda and his co-accused face charges of theft and fraud. Munyunda is expected to stand trial on a charge of fraud with an alternative count of theft, two counts of disguising unlawful origin of a property in relation to N$1.1 million. In addition, he faces a charge of fraud and alternative count of theft and two alternative counts of disguising unlawful origin of a property in respect to N$760 000. 

Namwandi is charged with one count of theft in relation to the N$1.1 million, a count of disguising unlawful origin of a property, a count of acquisition, use and possession of proceeds of unlawful activities on diverse occasions. 

The two men who are currently on bail of N$50 000 each, were arrested alongside Marx Felali Mahoto, who is now deceased.