Africa-Press – Namibia. Lawyer Sisa Namandje during his client Peter Elindi’s bail hearing in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday argued that the National Petroleum Corporation of Namibia (Namcor) corruption case is commercial, not criminal.
He said the state is wrong in bringing a commercial case to a criminal court.
During Elindi’s cross-examination by the state, he was asked who certain assets belonged to and to provide proof that the assets in question are owned by his company Enercon.
“My colleague is confusing my client. What title deed is he referring to? A title deed is from the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development, which deals with land.
“What the state wanted to say is an asset agreement registrar. Why did the state bring a commercial case to a criminal court? There is a total mismatch. With all the questions asked there is nothing of criminality but they are all commercial,” Namandje said.
He said an accused cannot be arrested while the state is gathering charges and bluffing that it has a strong case while it does not.
Elindi said the assets in question do not belong to Enercon, but are prescribed by an agreement with Namcor. They do not belong to the Ministry of Defence and Veterans Affairs either, he said.
He explained that Enercon was owed payments by August 26, which is a subsidiary of the defence ministry.
The ministry, according to him, had no direct shares in Enercon.
Namandje said Elindi should be given bail since his arrest was not conducted lawfully, citing further irregularities by the state.
For More News And Analysis About Namibia Follow Africa-Press
