The adjoining farms of Okorusu and Marburg, situated about 50 kilometres southwest of Otjiwarongo, belonged to Heidi Lacheiner-Kuhn.

They were pegged for expropriation in August last year.

A mining company extracts fluorspar on Okorusu, earning the owner N$25 000 a month.

Originally the Ministry of Lands, Resettlement and Rehabilitation, headed by Minister Jerry Ekandjo, offered Lacheiner-Kuhn N$750 155 for the 3 410-hectare farm Okorusu, and N$2,5 million for Marburg, which covers 5 000 hectares.

WILLING SELLER Although the farm had been in the family's possession for 90 years, Lacheiner-Kuhn did not oppose the expropriation.

However, she did regard the initial price as too low.

In 2003, she decided to sell Okorusu because farming activities clashed with those of the mining company.

Namibian laws stipulate that every commercial farm to be sold must first be offered to Government.

The State has 60 days to consider and must issue a waiver certificate to the owner if not interested to buy the farm.

Lacheiner-Kuhn offered the farm to Government in January 2004, but did not receive a waiver for five months.

A High Court judge ordered the Lands Ministry to immediately issue the waiver - in July 2004 - and pay the costs of her court application.

The mining company was interested in buying the farm Okorusu.

During negotiations, however, which also had the blessing of the Ministry of Mines and Energy, the Lands Ministry last year said it wanted to buy Okorusu and the adjacent Marburg farm.

EAGER BUYER Lacheiner-Kuhn found the Lands Ministry's initial offer too low.

A South African valuation company put the combined value of the farms at N$4,8 million.

The matter then landed in the High Court and was postponed several times this year.

"Both parties reached a settlement this month for N$8 million, otherwise the matter would have gone to the Land Tribunal," Charles Bodenstein, the lawyer for Lacheiner-Kuhn, told The Namibian yesterday.

The court had already ordered the Lands Ministry to pay 80 per cent of the original offer of N$3,7 million, which was done in February 2006.

"When the transfer was done, Government paid the remainder of this sum in June," Bodenstein added.

He was in Windhoek yesterday to collect a cheque for N$4,29 million.

"Altogether this comes to N$8 million."

The Namibian was yesterday unable to establish how the two parties arrived at the final settlement figure.

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