AR leader probes defence tender funds paid to toddler

A portion of the money paid to a company awarded a tender to construct classrooms in the //Kharas region – an amount of N$700 000 – was allegedly paid to a two-year-old.

The child is reported to be the daughter of //Kharas Regional Town Council acting chief regional officer Ralph Sachika.

This was revealed by Affirmative Repositioning (AR) leader Job Amupanda yesterday in the National Assembly as he questioned minister of defence and veterans affairs Frans Kapofi about said payments.

He questioned an August 26 Holdings (Pty) Ltd subsidiary company called August 26 Construction, reported to be a middleman receiving preferential tenders from the state.

Amupanda alleged that the company sometimes dishes out million-dollar tenders to cronies, girlfriends and relatives of those in defence circles.

The specific case he mentioned concerned a N$255-million tender to construct 510 classrooms.

Ultimate Traders CC, which Amupanda said was subcontracted by August 26 Construction, is said to be owned by Titus Iipumbu who appears to be connected to Sachika.

Following meetings between Iipumbu and Sachika, Amupanda alleged that an amount of over N$3 million was paid – with Sachika’s authorisation – to an internet company called Tushiko Internet Technologies CC.

Amupanda claimed that although the payments were made to Tushiko Internet, the funds were actually paid into a bank account owned by Tushiko Investments CC before being transferred to an account owned by a Maria Iipumbu.

Amupanda further alleged that Maria Iipumbu then made several payments to numerous individuals, including Titus Iipumbu who received more than N$2 million, while N$700 000 was paid to a certain Lusia Jacob’s FNB account, after which the money found its way into the bank account of a two-year-old, Robyn Sachika – the daughter of Jacob and Sachika.

According to Amupanda, his investigation indicates that Sachika also received money from Jacob, traced back to the money he authorised to be paid to Tushiko Internet.

He said close to N$4 million that was transferred to the internet company, following meetings between Iipumbu and Sachika, belonged and was owed to August 26 Construction.

“This middleman August 26 Construction got a tender to build the //Kharas Regional Council Office Park. Typical of middlemen operators, August 26 Construction subcontracted Ultimate Traders CC for the supply and installation of furniture amounting to N$3.1 million.

“It is not that this hero’s middleman company cannot supply furniture directly, it is because the comrades must eat.

Of this amount, N$2.9 million has already been paid to [Ultimate Traders CC],” Amupanda alleged.

Amupanda claimed Iipumbu submitted fraudulent letters and documents purporting to be from August 26 Construction authorising the redirection of millions from August 26 Construction to the internet company. Amupanda also alleged that Iipumbu submitted a fake memorandum of agreement of cessation.

Last year, Amupanda claimed the defence ministry paid N$8 million for a single car part, showing as proof an allegedly fabricated quotation from Windhoeker Machinen Fabrik, a subsidiary of August 26 Holdings.

Amupanda questioned Kapofi as to why no major actions had been taken even after he presented evidence, arguing that the perception is that nothing happens because of top officials’ involvement.

He further suggested that the economic machinery of August 26 Holdings and its subsidiaries be re-examined to ensure the entity is a functioning instrument of the military-industrial complex, rather than the “headquarters of corruption”.