2018-06-29Staff Report 2 Maria Amakali WINDHOEK - Three men accused of attempting to steal N$1.1 million from the national airliner Air Namibia last year, denied guilt when they took their preliminary plea before the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court yesterday. The suspects; Penna Munyunda, 31, Tangi Amon Namwandi, 33, and Marx Felali Mahoto (age unknown) face a charge of fraud with an alternative charge of theft. Making their preliminary pleas, Munyunda and his co-accused denied any wrong doing by taking the no guilty plea before Magistrate Vanessa Stanley. The plea explanations were furnished in court, as the trio reserved their rights to do so when they stand trial. The three men are free on bail of N$50 000 each. They were arrested in October 2017, when a local bank alerted Air Namibia of a detected dubious transaction. It is alleged there was doubtful diversion of money meant for payments at Namibia Airports Company (NAC) from the national airliner into the accused’s account. The prosecution alleges the trio defrauded Air Namibia of an amount of N$1.1 million, by enticing the bank that they were entitled to the payment from the national airliner, knowing fully well that they were not entitled to such a payment. Court documents indicated the attempt to steal N$1.1 million is at the expense of Air Namibia and or one Lucy Mhambi. It is alleged the transfer in question was fully authorised 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. According to the prosecution, only N$190 000 of the N$1.1 million is reportedly unaccounted for now. With investigations finalised in the matter, the State will forward the docket to the Prosecutor General (PG) for decision. Magistrate Stanley postponed the matter to September 26, 2018. Marcus Angula was prosecuting for the State with defense attorneys Sisa Namandje and Christian Nambahu representing the suspects. 2018-06-29Staff Report 2
