Assembly’s Chief Accountant given bail in corruption case

NATIONAL Assembly Secretary Nama Goabab and the Chief Accountant of the Assembly, Abraham John George, made a first joint appearance in the dock in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court on a charge of corruption yesterday.

Goabab (50) and George (46) were arrested on Friday as a result of an investigation by the Anti-Corruption Commission into an alleged payment that was made with public funds for the rental of a vehicle that Goabab had been using while he is also receiving a vehicle allowance as part of his pay as Secretary to the NA. They appeared before Magistrate Helvi Shilemba yesterday on a charge of contravening section 43 of the Anti-Corruption Act of 2003.That section makes it an offence for any public official to directly or indirectly use “his or her office or position in a public body to obtain any gratification, whether for the benefit of himself or herself or any other person”.If someone is found guilty of contravening this part of the Act, he or she may be sentenced to pay a fine of up to N$500 000 or to imprisonment of up to 25 years, or to both such a fine and jail term, the Act states.Magistrate Clement Daniels granted Goabab bail of N$5 000 at the end of an urgent bail application in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court on Saturday.George was granted bail of N$3 000 with his appearance before Magistrate Shilemba yesterday.In terms of the conditions attached to Goabab’s release on bail he may not enter the premises of the National Assembly (NA) until the ACC’s investigation of the matter is concluded and the ACC’s chief of investigation and prosecution, Nelius Becker, gives him permission to return to his office.Magistrate Daniels also ordered that Goabab may not contact any staff member or official of the NA without the investigating officer’s permission.He further may not interfere with the investigation, Magistrate Daniels ordered.With public prosecutors at the court refusing to work after hours on Saturday, Becker had to play the dual role of representing the State and also giving evidence as a witness in opposition to the granting of bail during the proceedings before Magistrate Daniels.According to the record of the case, he told the Magistrate that he feared Goabab might interfere with the investigation if he was released on bail.Becker also stated that he needed more time to complete his investigation and obtain statements from potential witnesses, and that some witnesses had indicated that they would be scared of having Goabab back in his office.Magistrate Daniels however said that these concerns could be addressed by attaching appropriate conditions to the granting of bail.Magistrate Shilemba also ordered George yesterday not to contact anyone on a list of potential witnesses in the case.This includes any staff member of the NA’s budget office or any member of the NA’s economising committee.The case against Goabab and George was postponed for further investigation.They have to appear in court again on September 26.ACC Director Paulus Noa told The Namibian on Sunday that Goabab has been receiving a monthly vehicle allowance as part of his salary as Secretary to the NA.It is alleged that at the same time that he was receiving the vehicle allowance, Goabab was renting a car, and that he instructed the NA’s Chief Accountant to authorise the payment of the car rental company’s bill out of public funds, Noa said.He said the Chief Accountant was ordered to issue a cheque of about N$18 000 to pay for the car rental with taxpayers’ money.Also on Sunday, Goabab told The Namibian that there was “no fraudulent intent” on his part when he rented a car while his own vehicle was out of action, and when he then asked the person responsible for finance and administration in his office to pay the car rental company’s account.Goabab said he specifically gave instructions that the payment for the car rental should be deducted from his salary.He hinted that the ACC’s action against him was harassment.Defence lawyers Ray Rukoro and Petrie Theron represented Goabab and George respectively yesterday.Public Prosecutor Nuncia Sikongo appeared for the State.They appeared before Magistrate Helvi Shilemba yesterday on a charge of contravening section 43 of the Anti-Corruption Act of 2003.That section makes it an offence for any public official to directly or indirectly use “his or her office or position in a public body to obtain any gratification, whether for the benefit of himself or herself or any other person”. If someone is found guilty of contravening this part of the Act, he or she may be sentenced to pay a fine of up to N$500 000 or to imprisonment of up to 25 years, or to both such a fine and jail term, the Act states.Magistrate Clement Daniels granted Goabab bail of N$5 000 at the end of an urgent bail application in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court on Saturday.George was granted bail of N$3 000 with his appearance before Magistrate Shilemba yesterday.In terms of the conditions attached to Goabab’s release on bail he may not enter the premises of the National Assembly (NA) until the ACC’s investigation of the matter is concluded and the ACC’s chief of investigation and prosecution, Nelius Becker, gives him permission to return to his office.Magistrate Daniels also ordered that Goabab may not contact any staff member or official of the NA without the investigating officer’s permission.He further may not interfere with the investigation, Magistrate Daniels ordered.With public prosecutors at the court refusing to work after hours on Saturday, Becker had to play the dual role of representing the State and also giving evidence as a witness in opposition to the granting of bail during the proceedings before Magistrate Daniels.According to the record of the case, he told the Magistrate that he feared Goabab might interfere with the investigation if he was released on bail.Becker also stated that he needed more time to complete his investigation and obtain statements from potential witnesses, and that some witnesses had indicated that they would be scared of having Goabab back in his office.Magistrate Daniels however said that these concerns could be addressed by attaching appropriate conditions to the granting of bail.Magistrate Shilemba also ordered George yesterday not to contact anyone on a list of potential witnesses in the case.This includes any staff member of the NA’s budget office or any member of the NA’s economising committee.The case against Goabab and George was postponed for further investigation.They have to appear in court again on September 26.ACC Director Paulus Noa told The Namibian on Sunday that Goabab has been receiving a monthly vehicle allowance as part of his salary as Secretary to the NA.It is alleged that at the same time that he was receiving the vehicle allowance, Goabab was renting a car, and that he instructed the NA’s Chief Accountant to authorise the payment of the car rental company’s bill out of public funds, Noa said.He said the Chief Accountant was ordered to issue a cheque of about N$18 000 to pay for the car rental with taxpayers’ money.Also on Sunday, Goabab told The Namibian that there was “no fraudulent intent” on his part when he rented a car while his own vehicle was out of action, and when he then asked the person responsible for finance and administration in his office to pay the car rental company’s account.Goabab said he specifically gave instructions that the payment for the car rental should be deducted from his salary.He hinted that the ACC’s action against him was harassment.Defence lawyers Ray Rukoro and Petrie Theron represented Goabab and George respectively yesterday.Public Prosecutor Nuncia Sikongo appeared for the State.