Avid sentencing in June
Avid sentencing in June

Avid sentencing in June

Fred Goeieman
Arguments in mitigation and aggravation of sentence for the five accused convicted for their part in the disappearance of N$30 million from the Social Security Commission, which was paid to Avid, are expected to be heard in the second week of June.

Windhoek High Court Judge Christie Liebenberg yesterday postponed the matter for sentencing arguments to 11 and 12 June. Last Friday, the court ruled the late Avid kingpin Lazarus Kandara, who committed suicide in 2005, Namangol CEO Nico Josea and South African investment manager Alan Rosenberg were the masterminds behind the theft of N$30 million from the Social Security Commission.

Josea was found guilty of theft by conversion.

A whopping N$28.5 million of the investment was transferred to Namangol Investments, over which Josea exercised sole control.

Three other accused - Paulus Kapia, Inez /Gâses and Ralph Blaauw - were found guilty of fraud, while Sharon Lynette Blaauw and Josea were found guilty of reckless and fraudulent conduct of business in contravention of the Companies Act.

Lawyer Otniel Podewiltz and retired army brigadier Matias Shiweda were found not guilty.

“No reckless fraudulent conduct of business was found against Shiweda, while no fraudulent conduct was proven against Podewiltz,” Liebenberg said in his judgement.

He also found Kapia, /Gâses, Podewiltz, Ralph Blaauw and Shiweda were not guilty of contravening sections of the Companies Act.

The seven were on trial since 2014 following their arrest in 2008 for their involvement in the scandal.



FRED GOEIEMAN

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Namibian Sun 2025-03-16

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