The acting chief regional officer for the ||Kharas Regional Council at Keetmanshoop, Ralph Sachika, and his girlfriend, Lucia Jacob, appeared in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.
The couple is charged with fraud, forgery, money laundering and corruption.
The charges stem from an alleged payment of N$2.9 million meant for August 26 Construction, that Sachika reportedly authorised to be paid to a third-party company account, Tushiko Investments CC.
August 26 Construction was awarded a tender to build the ||Kharas Regional Council office park and classrooms and subcontracted Ultimate Traders CC for the supply and installation of furniture amounting to N$3.1 million.
About N$700 000 of this was reportedly paid to Jacob’s account and then found its way into the bank account of the daughter (2) of Jacob and Sachika.
The couple was arrested by the police in Windhoek on Monday.
Additional arrests are expected in the case in the coming days, the prosecution informed the magistrate. The matter was postponed to 12 March for further police investigations.
Court documents state that Sachika is accused of using his position to direct payments of over N$2.9 million to individuals instead of the intended recipient, August 26.
The Windhoek Magistrate’s Court on Monday heard that Sachika and Jacob are accused of allegedly acquiring and possessing N$700 000 that formed part of proceeds from unlawful activities.
The charges include corruption for allegedly using his office to obtain a benefit for himself or others, fraud for allegedly making false claims to the ||Kharas Regional Council regarding an invoice, forgery and uttering a forged document for allegedly creating and presenting a false ‘payment of supplier’ letter to the council, and money laundering.
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