Africa-Press – Namibia. FORMER Public Service Commission (PSC) member Teckla Lameck, who was acquitted in 2019 of defrauding the Ministry of Finance in a transaction worth more than N$470 million, is among 32 individuals who were conferred national honours by president Hage Geingob on Wednesday.
Among the attributes of those who were honoured was that they “display a high level of integrity”. However, the decision to bestow national honours on Lameck has now been questioned by political analyst Ndumba Kamwanyah, who said in other democracies she would not be honoured, although she was acquitted.
“We must also know that cases are technical by nature and do not tell the whole story when someone is acquitted. Being guilty or not guilty does not always tell the whole story of what transpired, especially in complex corruption-related cases,” he said yesterday.
Lameck and 31 other individuals were awarded for “significantly” contributing to Namibia’s liberation struggle. She was awarded the Most Distinguished Order of Namibia, fifth class.
Lameck was recognised for moving up in the ranks of the People’s Liberation Army of Namibia (Plan) to become a political commissar during the struggle for independence.
According to the citation for the award, Lameck contributed to the liberation and independence of Namibia, to the country’s social development, and to quality service delivery.
While working for the Public Service Commission, Lameck found herself on the wrong side of the law after she was arrested for allegedly defrauding the finance ministry through a multimillion-dollar transaction in which Namibia’s government bought Chinese-manufactured security scanners at inflated prices in 2009.
The charges against Lameck, her business partner Kongo Mokaxwa, and Chinese citizen Yang Fan included a count of fraud in connection with the transaction in which the ministry bought X-ray scanning equipment at a total cost of US$55,3 million (then about N$477 million) from Chinese company Nuctech, represented by Yang, in 2009.
Lameck and Mokaxwa were also accused of having defrauded Swapo-owned Namib Contract Haulage, where Mokaxwa was employed and Lameck was a company director, by inflating the price it had to pay for lorries and buses imported from China in 2007.
Lameck and her co-accused were acquitted in the Windhoek High Court in September 2019, after they successfully objected to the admissibility of a substantial part of the evidence which the Anti-Corruption Commission collected during its investigation of the case.
Kamwanyah said the argument would be that she was not found guilty and is therefore eligible for the honour. “I don’t agree with that take,” he said. Kamwanyah said it appeared it was a national honours ceremony for Swapo and former Plan fighters.
He said the fact that the recipients were in exile does not mean they contributed a lot to independence. “It (the national honours) does not reflect the broader Namibian character. There are many people on that list whose contributions can be challenged.”
Attempts to track down Lameck yesterday proved futile. OTHERS HONOURED Apart from Lameck, the late South African anti-apartheid activist and politician Winnie Madikizela-Mandela was also honoured by Geingob.
Madikizela-Mandela was awarded for playing a role in the abolishment of apartheid in South Africa, which also paved the way for Namibia’s independence.
“She was not only a symbol of hope for the struggling masses of South Africa, but also served as great inspiration to the people of Namibia during the dark days of apartheid,” the president said. Madikizela-Mandela was conferred the Award of the Most Brilliant Order of the Sun, first class.
Guinea-Bissau-born economist Carlos Lopes, who was appointed by Geingob to serve on the high-level panel on the Namibian economy, was also conferred the Award of the Most Brilliant Order of the Sun, first class.
Lopes has played an integral role in the establishment of the Investment Promotion and Development Board, which operates under the Office of the President.
Other individuals conferred this award include former minister of safety and security Charles Namoloh, minister of gender equality, poverty eradication and social welfare Doreen Sioka, and former chairperson of the National Council Asser Kapere.
The deputy minister of agriculture, water, and land reform, Anna Shiweda, Khomas regional governor Laura McLeod-Katjirua, and Swapo Women’s Council secretary Eunice Iipinge were all conferred national honours.
Other individuals honoured by Geingob are Zenzi Awases, Sophia Jacobs, Lazarus Guiteb, Teopolina Mushelenga, Martin Shikomba, Elly Shilomboleni, Elia Ambambi, Gideon Amakali, Anne Gebhardt, Uhuru Dempers, Elina Ndapuka, Dawid Boois, Jonas Hedimbi, Alfons Dikuua, Georgina Mwyia-Simataa, Theresia Basson, Annelise Angula, Selma Hausiku-Mpasi, Constanzia Tlhabanello, Tuulikki Uule, David Muluti, and Joel Tjijahura.
For More News And Analysis About Namibia Follow Africa-Press
