Bail granted in inheritance fraud case

A WINDHOEK man charged with having embezzled money from deceased estates that he was administering has been granted bail of N$100 000.

Estate administrator Mervin Kozonguizi (42), was granted bail when he made a second appearance in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.

Kozonguizi initially appeared in court on 15 January on one charge of fraud, involving an amount of N$797 359. With his second court appearance this week, that charge was amended, with the amount involved changed to N$7 097 359, while a second fraud charge was also added to the case.

The state is alleging that during 2016 and January 2017, Kozonguizi defrauded the Master of the High Court by pretending that he was entitled to receive funds from the estate of the late Gustav Tjiuiju. Kozonguizi received N$7,09 million from the estate while not entitled to it, the state is charging.

In the second charge, which was added this week, the prosecution is alleging that Kozonguizi defrauded the Master of the High Court on 5 December 2015 by pretending that he was entitled to an amount of N$2 million from the estate of the late Yolandi Dorothy Beukes.

Kozonguizi, operating under the name Kozonguizi & Associates, was administering deceased estates that had been registered at the Master’s office. He was arrested on 15 January.

Public prosecutor Rowan van Wyk told magistrate Vanessa Stanley during his court appearance on Tuesday that the state was no longer opposed to the granting of bail to Kozonguizi, and that a bail amount of N$100 000 was recommended.

The bail was granted on condition that Kozonguizi has to report at the offices of the Anti-Corruption Commission in Windhoek every Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning; has to surrender his travel documents, and may not apply for new documents before his case has been finalised; may not leave the Windhoek district without informing the investigating officer on his case; and should refrain from interfering with the continuing investigations, directly or indirectly.

Kozonguizi, who is represented by defence lawyer Orben Sibeya, has to appear in court again on 21 May.