Rundu — The trial in which a man of the cloth, who also doubles as a part-time estate agent and land developer, is accused of defrauding businessmen of more than N$350 000 is set to be heard on July 29 and August 02 in the Rundu Magistrate's Court.

Pastor Frans Naibeb found himself in court on Monday facing charges which include three counts of fraud and three alternative counts of theft. The 52-year-old clergyman at the Rundu Christ Embassy Church is accused of defrauding several businessmen and a bank manager of more than N$350 000, through the sale of unserviced plots in the town. Naibeb is out on bail.

It is alleged that Naibeb sold one plot to a number of people, and many of those who have bought plots have not taken ownership of the land despite having paid for it in full already. Naibeb allegedly bought 30 virgin erven from the Rundu Town Council for between N$4 000 and N$5 000 per plot measuring about 1703 square metres. He re-sold the erven to interested people at prices ranging between N$85 000 and N$150 000.

Of the victims is the branch manager of Bank Windhoek in Rundu -Annethe Durand, and businessman Matthew Hungamo who owns Frankstone Guesthouse in Rundu. They allegedly lost over N$360 000 in the transactions with Naibeb. He was arrested in 2010 after defrauding businessman Fernando Jorge Alves Batista Neves of about N$180 000 throughh a bogus sale of two prime properties in the town.

The erven in question are Erf 2254 and Erf 2235 - both forming a portion of Erf 1893, which Naibeb purchased from the town council. Neves owns the Woermann Brock Hyper Supermarket trading as Oceano Atlantico Woermann Brock in Rundu.