Expert pathologist performs a second autopsy on Kandara

THE family of the late Lazarus Kandara, the Chief Executive Officer of Avid Investment Corporation who is claimed to have committed suicide outside the Windhoek Police Station a week ago, have called on the expertise of former State pathologist Linda Liebenberg to have a second autopsy performed on Kandara’s body.

A relative of Kandara, lawyer Gerson Hinda, confirmed yesterday that Kandara’s family had asked Dr Liebenberg to carry out an independent post-mortem examination on Kandara’s remains. Dr Liebenberg, who worked as a State pathologist in Windhoek during the 1990s, performed the second autopsy on Tuesday.She has since returned to Cape Town in South Africa, where she is a forensic pathologist attached to the University of Cape Town.According to Hinda, speculation about the circumstances of Kandara’s death led to the Kandara family’s decision to have Dr Liebenberg, who has specialised in the field of forensic pathology since she left Namibia for Cape Town in 2000, do a second autopsy.”They just want to put this thing to rest, forensically,” he said.A State pathologist attached to the Police Mortuary in Windhoek performed a first post-mortem examination late last week.Dr Liebenberg told The Namibian from Cape Town yesterday that in her opinion the doctor who had done the first examination had done good work.”I don’t have a problem with his work,” she commented.She said she would provide a report on her findings to Hinda by Monday next week.It is understood that one of the main aspects that would be examined in a case of alleged suicide like Kandara’s – who is claimed to have shot himself in the chest – would be the nature of the entry wound.A physician performing a post-mortem examination would specifically check for gunpowder burns or soot around the entry wound, as would be expected if someone was shot from very close range.Similarly crucial would be tests for gunpowder residue on the hands of the suspected suicide, as would be expected if the person had fired a gun.According to the Namibian Police, such a test has been done on Kandara’s hands and on the hands of the Police officers who were escorting him to the Police Station after his arrest on charges of fraud and theft in connection with Avid’s role in the Social Security Commission’s ill-fated investment of N$30 million through the company.The results of those tests are not yet available.Kandara is set to be buried at Otjiwarongo on Saturday afternoon, Hinda also said.A memorial service was scheduled to take place in Windhoek last night, while a second memorial service is scheduled for tonight at 19h00 at the Ephesians Congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Katutura.Dr Liebenberg, who worked as a State pathologist in Windhoek during the 1990s, performed the second autopsy on Tuesday.She has since returned to Cape Town in South Africa, where she is a forensic pathologist attached to the University of Cape Town.According to Hinda, speculation about the circumstances of Kandara’s death led to the Kandara family’s decision to have Dr Liebenberg, who has specialised in the field of forensic pathology since she left Namibia for Cape Town in 2000, do a second autopsy.”They just want to put this thing to rest, forensically,” he said.A State pathologist attached to the Police Mortuary in Windhoek performed a first post-mortem examination late last week.Dr Liebenberg told The Namibian from Cape Town yesterday that in her opinion the doctor who had done the first examination had done good work.”I don’t have a problem with his work,” she commented. She said she would provide a report on her findings to Hinda by Monday next week.It is understood that one of the main aspects that would be examined in a case of alleged suicide like Kandara’s – who is claimed to have shot himself in the chest – would be the nature of the entry wound.A physician performing a post-mortem examination would specifically check for gunpowder burns or soot around the entry wound, as would be expected if someone was shot from very close range.Similarly crucial would be tests for gunpowder residue on the hands of the suspected suicide, as would be expected if the person had fired a gun.According to the Namibian Police, such a test has been done on Kandara’s hands and on the hands of the Police officers who were escorting him to the Police Station after his arrest on charges of fraud and theft in connection with Avid’s role in the Social Security Commission’s ill-fated investment of N$30 million through the company.The results of those tests are not yet available.Kandara is set to be buried at Otjiwarongo on Saturday afternoon, Hinda also said.A memorial service was scheduled to take place in Windhoek last night, while a second memorial service is scheduled for tonight at 19h00 at the Ephesians Congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Katutura.