With these words (verbatim extract from NBC TV News), Lev Leviev Diamonds MD and Samicor Director, Kombadayedu Kapwanga, announced his company's 'gift' to former President Sam Nujoma, who flanked him as he toured the facilities of the LLD on Tuesday, June 28.

MORE than two weeks after I raised the issue of President Nujoma's acceptance of this 'gift', which I said appeared tantamount to a 'kickback' in my column of June 31, State House issued a press release on July 18.

Signed by Dr Ndeutala Angolo, it variously accuses me of "allegations and falsehoods" and of pursuing "a hateful agenda to misinform the public and tarnish the good name of the founding President" and concluding that "our media can serve our country better if they report truthfully after careful consideration of all available facts".

In short, the press release maintained that there was "no indication whatsoever" that the former President had accepted such a bursary and when his "selfless acts demonstrate otherwise".

(See full statement on today's letters pages).

I trust that the quotation from LLD MD Kapwanga, speaking in his own words to NBC TV, and in the presence of the founding President, will serve to clarify this matter.

And if so, perhaps the Office of the President could in turn take back the nasty things that have been said about me because of it! Obviously, since there was some public anger at President Nujoma having accepted a bursary when he's got a more than lucrative package to pay for his own studies, the former head of state has been embarrassed by the whole affair.

Instead of declining the offer and asking LLD to instead put these monies into his Fund for the Promotion of Mathematics, Science and Technology to benefit the youth of this country, State House has chosen to attack me for what is a MATTER OF FACT - namely, that President Nujoma was offered, and accepted, the bursary.

But even more worrying is the fact that we really don't know who issued this press release - former President Nujoma, or incumbent President Hifikepunye Pohamba.

It was faxed on a Republic of Namibia, State House, letterhead, the release itself was entitled 'Press Release, Office of the President', and signed by Dr Angolo.

I tried to find out, since I am accused of failing to verify facts ...

Dr Angolo was not available and I was referred by her secretary to another spokesperson in the Office of the President who was unsure.

He pointed out that the Office of the Former President (Nujoma) for administrative and financial purposes, fell under the Office of the President (incumbent).

So either could have authorised the statement since Dr Angolo serves as chief accounting officer for both! I couldn't help wondering why former President Nujoma, who has a phalanx of staff (in a separate building at the former Ombudsman's Office) costing the taxpayer a fortune, couldn't release the statement himself.

Who, after all, is the President now? If President Pohamba was responsible (and since it was not stated otherwise, and it emanated from his office, I have to presume he had knowledge of it) it was ill-advised.

State House, and not me, in this instance, should have checked the facts beforehand.

If it was released on former President Nujoma's say-so, then it should be made clear why he has unlimited access to the current State House and Office of the President to make statements which could later embarrass the incumbent Head of State.

It is a totally unsatisfactory arrangement, which will only lead to accusations that President Pohamba is not his own man.

So I'd be interested to hear whether Pohamba distances himself from this gratuitous attack on me when my column was fair comment based on a statement of fact! If in doubt, State House is welcome to watch the NBC TV report in question just to establish who, in fact, is lying! The onus is also on the NBC TV to do its homework, and the State House comments on what constitutes good journalism may be better directed at them! They carried a news report on the statement and neither attempted to solicit my comment nor point out that State House was incorrect, since they had carried the original report on the controversial bursary and knew in fact it was so! Finally, if this statement was released without President Pohamba's knowledge, then he'd better fast look to his staff structures at State House and establish just who they think they're accountable to or working for.

The public needs to know who's in charge.

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