The three defendants in the Nuctech corruption probe are free on bail, but their assets have remained frozen. Counsellors Gauntlett, Heathcote and Muller are focusing on the question whether an interim assets restraint order that was given by the Judge President on July 6 should now be made a final order, or if it should be lifted, with the effect that the frozen assets would be returned to the control of Lameck, Mokaxwa, Yang and other parties cited in the case (article by Werner Menges of The Namibian, published online by Britain-based The Zimbabwean). There was no evidence before the court of an offence allegedly committed, except for a claim that Lameck contravened the Public Service Commission Act by not getting the President’s consent for her to do other paid work outside her job as a Public Service Commissioner, Gauntlett said.
According to Windhoek’s Allgemeine Zeitung, Gauntlett argued that Prosecutor Nelius Becker’s facts hadn’t been complete and that he had failed to inform Lameck that her assets were frozen. There was also no sufficient evidence of corruption. Judge President Petrus Damaseb reportedly replied that as a Public Service Commissioner, Lameck had not been entitled to hold jobs outside the commission. This was, after all, corruption.
The prosecution is scheduled to make a statement today.
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Related:
Investigations in EU and Namibia, July 20, 2009
“Defendants bought two Farms”, July 31, 2009
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