‘Circus time’ at the DBC probe

A FORMER top manager alleged to have plundered the Patriotic Construction Company (PCC), a subsidiary of the Development Brigade Corporation (DBC), yesterday turned the Presidential inquiry into the failed parastatals into a ‘hide-and-seek circus’.

The inquiry’s commissioners were left frustrated as the eagerly-awaited testimony of Eddie Champion, the General Manager of PCC from 1998 to 2002, failed to yield much insight into the alleged siphoning of resources which contributed to the company’s collapse. It has emerged during the week-long hearing that Champion paid himself hefty bonuses, incurred huge personal expenses that were paid for by PCC, took company property, used the parastatal’s equipment and workers to work on his farm for free, and authorised the buying of cellphones and cash payments to his wife, who was not employed by PCC.The former chief executive officer, who gave his highest qualification as Matric only, spent the whole of yesterday either declining to answer or evading questions as the commissioners strenuously tried to pin him down.”I find it difficult answering your questions.Things happened that way for whatever reason.I can’t explain why I took those decisions that time… that’s the only explanation I can give for such things,” Champion said.”If I am guilty, I am guilty.I take full responsibility.”He adamantly stuck to his answer despite the commissioners repeatedly reminding him that they were not interested in the “guilty part” but wanted to know why such large-scale wrongdoing continued unchecked.”Mr Champion, you are telling us nothing, what you are saying is nothing … these things were just too many,” charged a visibly irked Commission chairperson, Petrus Unengu.In cases where Champion allegedly wrote cheques to himself, there were no supporting documents and whenever he claimed reimbursements from PCC, his documents rarely indicated the date and purpose of the expenditure.But when asked to explain this, all he could say was:”I can sit here until tomorrow, Mr Chairman, but I can’t explain.That’s how it happened.”When the commission put it to him that he was enriching himself at the expense of the company, he only said that:”I am not sure about that, Sir … it’s what you are saying, I might not agree with that.”Champion also declined to explain why cheque payments were made to his wife from PCC’s money, and told the hearing that “I don’t want my wife incriminated”.The former general manager allegedly sold several company vehicles without authorisation, including a Mazda bakkie valued at N$19 000, which was purportedly brought by an employee of PCC.But forensic auditors have since discovered that Champion in fact sold the vehicle to himself for a mere N$1 000.”How do you explain that, Mr Champion, because that vehicle was taken to your farm?” the commission’s legal counsel, Eldorette Harmse, queried.Unengu added:”Why did you decide to sell it? It was not your vehicle.””It’s true it was taken to my farm … Sir, I have no need for the vehicle.It is still standing on the farm …,” Champion stated, before commissioner Emma Haiyambo interrupted him.”That’s not the issue Mr Champion, please answer the question,” she said softly.He further denied allegations that he paid full bonuses to whites only, while the black employees were paid only a quarter.Other accusations of racial discrimination against Champion were that he took the white staff on fishing trips to the coast at the company’s expense.He told the hearing that he could remember undertaking such trips, but could not recall who paid for them and whether the black employees were excluded.The hearing continues today, with Champion still on the witness stand.It has emerged during the week-long hearing that Champion paid himself hefty bonuses, incurred huge personal expenses that were paid for by PCC, took company property, used the parastatal’s equipment and workers to work on his farm for free, and authorised the buying of cellphones and cash payments to his wife, who was not employed by PCC.The former chief executive officer, who gave his highest qualification as Matric only, spent the whole of yesterday either declining to answer or evading questions as the commissioners strenuously tried to pin him down.”I find it difficult answering your questions.Things happened that way for whatever reason.I can’t explain why I took those decisions that time… that’s the only explanation I can give for such things,” Champion said.”If I am guilty, I am guilty.I take full responsibility.”He adamantly stuck to his answer despite the commissioners repeatedly reminding him that they were not interested in the “guilty part” but wanted to know why such large-scale wrongdoing continued unchecked.”Mr Champion, you are telling us nothing, what you are saying is nothing … these things were just too many,” charged a visibly irked Commission chairperson, Petrus Unengu.In cases where Champion allegedly wrote cheques to himself, there were no supporting documents and whenever he claimed reimbursements from PCC, his documents rarely indicated the date and purpose of the expenditure.But when asked to explain this, all he could say was:”I can sit here until tomorrow, Mr Chairman, but I can’t explain.That’s how it happened.”When the commission put it to him that he was enriching himself at the expense of the company, he only said that:”I am not sure about that, Sir … it’s what you are saying, I might not agree with that.”Champion also declined to explain why cheque payments were made to his wife from PCC’s money, and told the hearing that “I don’t want my wife incriminated”.The former general manager allegedly sold several company vehicles without authorisation, including a Mazda bakkie valued at N$19 000, which was purportedly brought by an employee of PCC.But forensic auditors have since discovered that Champion in fact sold the vehicle to himself for a mere N$1 000.”How do you explain that, Mr Champion, because that vehicle was taken to your farm?” the commission’s legal counsel, Eldorette Harmse, queried.Unengu added:”Why did you decide to sell it? It was not your vehicle.””It’s true it was taken to my farm … Sir, I have no need for the vehicle.It is still standing on the farm …,” Champion stated, before commissioner Emma Haiyambo interrupted him.”That’s not the issue Mr Champion, please answer the question,” she said softly.He further denied allegations that he paid full bonuses to whites only, while the black employees were paid only a quarter.Other accusations of racial discrimination against Champion were that he took the white staff on fishing trips to the coast at the company’s expense.He told the hearing that he could remember undertaking such trips, but could not recall who paid for them and whether the black employees were excluded.The hearing continues today, with Champion still on the witness stand.