The Windhoek Magistrate’s Court will give a ruling in the bail application of Swapo youth leader Sylas Mungoba next week.
His two-day bail hearing was concluded on Wednesday before magistrate Celma Amadhila, who postponed the matter 10 August for judgement.
Mungoba approached the court to consider releasing him on bail of N$3 000 after he was arrested on 16 July.
The youth leader is charged with a count of corruptly giving gratification under section 34 (a) of the Anti-Corruption Commission Act 8 of 2003 as he allegedly tried to directly or indirectly give gratification as an inducement. He is further charged with a count of attempting to defeat or obstruct the course of justice.
The prosecution is alleging that Mungoba tried to entice Affirmative Repositioning (AR) Movement leaders Paulus Kathanga and Dimbulukeni Nauyoma to mobilise and launch a protest for the release of those currently in police custody for their alleged involvement in the multi-million-dollar fisheries bribery case, dubbed Fishrot, which is currently before the High Court. He was arrested during a sting operation in which he allegedly gave N$8 000 to Kathanga as down-payment for the protest.
According to ACC lead investigator Phelem Masule, Kathanga reported the matter, and indicated in his affidavit that Mungoba first approached him in 2020 with the intent to halt the demonstrations against the release of the Fishrot accused from custody on bail. But those demonstrations nonetheless took place.
Kathanga and Nauyoma were to initially receive N$10 000 each, but the accused apparently only brought N$8 000 at their meeting. They were set to later receive payments in portions of N$50 000, N$60 000 and N$80 000 once everything had progressed as planned.
Mungoba has denied these allegations, saying he was set up as Kathanga and Nauyoma are seeking political relevance. He said he considered Nauyoma as his friend.
He furthermore denied approaching Kathanga and Nauyoma to organise any sort of demonstration against the judiciary. He only approached them so that they can create awareness around the Fishrot issue through their social media platforms, and further indicated that the N$8 000 he allegedly offered Kathanga was from his personal business account, and is not Fishrot money, the accused stated.
-mamakali@nepc.com.na