Alweendo questions how drugs got into Comalie’s car

MINISTER of mines and energy Tom Alweendo has questioned how the drugs which were allegedly found in the vehicle of Jennifer Comalie, the board chairperson of the National Petroleum Corporation of Namibia (Namcor), on Monday, ended up there.
“Before one can make pronouncements, let us allow that process to take place. How did those drugs get into her car? How did the people know there were drugs?” he asked yesterday.

The police allegedly found drugs worth N$57 000 in Comalie’s vehicle shortly before a board meeting to discuss possible action against Namcor’s managing director, Immanuel Mulunga.
Alweendo yesterday told The Namibian the ongoing controversy unfolding at the national oil company is tainting the country’s investment image.

He said an investigation should be completed into how the drugs ended up at Namcor.
“The whole discussion around it gives the company a bad name. Namcor is going to play a very important role in terms of our oil discoveries going forward,” he said.
Mulunga is accused of making unauthorised payments of over N$100 million (US$6,6 million) to an Angolan partner.
Alweendo said he does not know whether Comalie’s incident has anything to do with “the oil”, and that the ministry is awaiting police investigations to ascertain the facts of the matter.

He also raised concerns that the situation at Namcor may discourage investors, and said the company is one of the country’s most important state-owned firms – particularly in view of the recent carbon oil discoveries.

The minister said the recent events cast doubt on whether Namibia would deliver on its end of the deal.
Alweendo said he wanted to deal with the matter decisively upon completion of the investigations.
“We need to make sure we deal with the issue of what really happened . . . decisively to make sure we correct the image about what is now fobbing the country,” he said.

Alweendo attended Comalie’s first court appearance this week and said he was supporting her.
“At the time when the board was appointed it was still reporting to the minister of mines and energy before the Public Enterprises Governance Act (Pega) came into being.

“As much as they report to the minister of public enterprises, there are also policy issues we have to work with. I went to support her and listen to what is happening,” he said.
Pega, which was implemented in 2020, gives the minister the power to establish generally accepted common principles of corporate governance and good practice in governing public enterprises.

REFORMS

The Namibian Women Lawyers Association (NWLA) is calling for legal reforms to prevent the possible intimidation of people serving on boards.
In a statement issued yesterday, the association’s chairperson, Ruth Herunga, condemned any action that threatens the safety and security of women corporate leaders in the process of discharging their duties.

“We call on the relevant authorities in Namibia to thoroughly investigate this matter and to ensure the safety of our corporate leaders, and we call for legislative reform to ensure that corporate victimisation becomes a myth,” the statement reads.
Herunga said many of the NWLA members are in positions of leadership and are gatekeepers of good governance, who are at risk of corporate victimisation.

“We further encourage all women to continue serving on boards without fear of intimidation, and to have faith in our judicial system as justice shall prevail,” it further reads.

Yesterday, the Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) called on minister of finance and public enterprises Iipumbu Shiimi to suspend Mulunga within 48 hours.
The party said it would soon move a motion to initiate a parliamentary investigation into the Namcor saga.