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Namibia: Witnesses Testify in Namugongo Case
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New Era (Windhoek)
3 July 2008
Posted to the web 3 July 2008
Kuvee Kangueehi
Windhoek
The case against the Deputy Director in the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Sackey Namugongo, gained momentum yesterday in the Katutura Regional Court with five State witnesses giving their testimonies.
The State witnesses included Philemon Erastus who allegedly paid over N$60000 to Namugongo. Erastus gave evidence of how he paid N$32000 in cash to Namugongo in his office before paying another N$13000 into his personal account.
A former Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, William Amugulu, was the first to take the stand and informed the court that all the activities that were carried out by Namugongo regarding the issuing of licences during that period were illegal because there was a moratorium on gambling licences.
Amugulu testified that he became aware that something sinister was going on when a certain Petrus Hango complained to him that he had paid more than N$105000 but had not received his licence.
"Hango was demanding his money from the ministry because he had borrowed the money from his wife and she wanted it back."
A retired public servant, Hendrik Christian Jansen, who was Namugongo's direct supervisor, in his testimony said he was given a copy of a fake licence that had been issued, and it was different from the original ones.
He noted that his signature was forged on the licence and the licence was printed at Print Tech while all the licence books were usually printed at Windhoek Printers.
Jansen said he became suspicious when more people and police officers continued to inquire about these fake licences and brought the issue to the attention of both the minister and the permanent secretary. William Konjore and Malan Lindeke were the minister and the permanent secretary respectively.
Jansen was also surprised to learn that Namugongo gave out a letter of acknowledgement to the people that applied for licences and said the normal practice was to give a receipt.
Erastus told the court that he went to the Ministry of Tourism and Environment some time in March 2006 to enquire about gambling licences and was referred to Namugongo.
He testified that Namugongo told him that he could assist him to acquire three licences for his businesses and gave him an application form and his business card to contact him later.
Erastus said on April 10, 2006 he called Namugongo and informed him that he had completed the form and wanted to see him.
"I met Namugongo on the 10th of April 2006 in his office and I gave him N$32000, in cash, for assisting me with acquiring the three licences."
Erastus further testified that Namugongo did not give him any receipt and only gave him a letter and informed him that he still owed him money because the fee should be anything between N$40000 and N$60000.
Namugongo allegedly gave Erastus his bank account number and ordered him to pay the balance into his personal account.
Erastus paid N$5000 into Namugongo's account the following day from Swakopmund and another N$5000, then N$3000 in Windhoek and Okahandja respectively.
Deposit slips to this effect were presented to the court as evidence.
Erastus will continue giving his evidence today.
Namugongo pleaded not guilty to all 43 counts when his case resumed in the Katutura Regional Court yesterday.
Appearing before magistrate Sarel Jacobs, Namugongo pleaded not guilty to the charges, which in total include corruption, fraud, theft or alternatively forgery and uttering.
According to the charge sheet, Namugongo granted 19 fake gambling licences to 18 individuals and in the process stole funds to the tune N$385000.
Namugongo was arrested by investigators from the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) at the Hosea Kutako International Airport on corruption, fraud and forgery and uttering charges on September 17, 2006 on his way home from South Africa.
The amounts that the 18 people paid varied from N$6500 to N$60000.
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Titus Mbaeva represents Namugongo, while Deputy Prosecutor General, Orben Sibeya, is representing the State.
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