Hertta-Maria Amutenja
The state has alleged that a N$960,000 payment made to the personal account of former Namcor supply and logistics manager Cornelius Willemse was a bribe for authorising the N$53 million sale of nine service stations to Namcor.
The allegation was made on Tuesday during cross-examination in the bail hearing of businessman Peter Elindi at the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court. Elindi is one of the accused in the N$480 million Namcor corruption case.
According to the state, Namcor paid N$53.2 million into an Enercon Namibia account for the acquisition of service stations. The following day, N$35 million was repaid to Namcor’s trading division from a joint Enercon account. The state claims the repayment was made from an account that Namcor executive Jennifer Hamukwaya had signing power over, as per the fuel supply agreement.
State prosecutor Basson Lilongwe told the court that Enercon owed Namcor N$108 million at the time. “We have evidence from the investigating officer that Enercon owed Namcor N$108 million. The N$35 million that was repaid was to settle part of that outstanding debt,” he said.
Elindi confirmed there was debt but said he could not verify the exact figure. The prosecution argued that Elindi, as director of Enercon, represented the company during the N$53 million transaction and that N$18.2 million remained in the account after repayment.
On 8 July 2022, N$9.5 million of that remaining amount was transferred to Eco Trading CC, a company solely owned by fugitive Victor Malima. The state alleges this was part of the proceeds of unlawful activity. Malima, who previously served as chairman and managing director of Enercon, fled Namibia through the Wenela border post in 2023 and remains at large.
From the N$9.5 million, the state says N$1.4 million was paid to Quality Meat Supplies on 20 July 2022. Of this amount, N$960,000 was allegedly transferred to Willemse’s personal account as a bribe for authorising the service station deal. An investigating officer is expected to testify to support this claim. The same day, another N$500,000 was allegedly paid to Panduleni Farming.
Elindi told the court the N$9.5 million payment to Eco Trading was for fuel supplies and said Malima acted independently. “Victor was acting on his own. I had no say in Eco Trading’s decisions,” he said.
The state also claims Malima purchased an Audi Q8 for former Namcor managing director Immanuel Mulunga. The vehicle was allegedly registered under Hileni Kamati’s name, with insurance reportedly paid by Eco Trading.
Elindi, represented by lawyer Sisa Namandje, denied involvement in fraud or bribery. Namandje told the court Elindi has not been charged in connection with the Enercon payments. He also disputed the state’s claim that the asset valuation in the N$53 million deal was fraudulent, arguing that it was handled internally by Namcor using unregistered engineers—something Elindi was not involved in.
The state opposes bail, citing the seriousness of the charges, the risk of witness interference, and the possibility of more arrests.
Evidence presented in court shows Namcor consolidated N$73 million in debt from Ecofuels into Enercon’s books, adding to an existing N$35 million liability. The N$53 million service station deal reportedly followed this consolidation.
Elindi said the transaction was part of a legitimate business arrangement. He testified that Enercon had invested N$58 million in fuel infrastructure, including facilities built with the Ministry of Defence. He said Namcor had agreed to buy the fuel rights and infrastructure from Enercon and that the company repaid N$35 million the day after receiving payment.
