Last accused in Namcor fraud case, Austin Elindi, granted N$50 000 bail

The last person held in custody in connection with the National Petroleum Corporation of Namibia (Namcor) fraud and corruption case was granted bail in an amount of N$50 000 yesterday.

Austin Elindi, son of businessman Peter Elindi, who is one of the other accused in the matter, was granted bail in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court after public prosecutor Menencia Hinda informed magistrate Olga Muharukua that the state had no objection to him being given bail.

Elindi, who was arrested in last July, was held in custody for more than eight months before he was granted bail.

He is the last of the 14 persons charged in connection with alleged fraud and corruption at Namcor to be granted bail.

The 14 accused in the case are facing charges based on allegations that they were involved in fraud, corruption and other offences when the fuel company Enercon Namibia sold filling station assets at Namibian Defence Force bases to a Namcor subsidiary, Namcor Petroleum Trading and Distribution, for N$53.2 million in July 2022.

The state is also alleging that Namcor was defrauded when Enercon and another fuel firm, the close corporation Erongo Petroleum, bought fuel products from Namcor, exceeded their credit limits with the company and failed to pay for the products they had bought.

Elindi is a director and shareholder of Enercon Namibia and the sole member of Erongo Petroleum. He is facing seven charges, including counts of fraud or theft by false pretences, corruptly giving gratification and money laundering.

The charges against him include an allegation that he defrauded Namcor between December 2022 and May 2023 by pretending that fuel valued at N$238.6 million that Namcor supplied to Erongo Petroleum had been paid for, whereas it was not paid for.

The state is also alleging that Elindi corruptly gave N$500 000 as gratification to former Namcor finance executive Jennifer Hamukwaya in December 2022, in return for her approving the supply of fuel valued at N$238.6 million to Erongo Petroleum.

Elindi, who is represented by defence lawyer Karel Gaeb, was granted bail on condition that he has to report at the head office of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) in Windhoek every Monday and Friday, should surrender his travel documents to an ACC investigator and may not apply for new travel documents until his matter has been concluded, and may not leave the Windhoek district without informing the investigating officer of his case.

Elindi and his co-accused are scheduled to make their next appearance in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court on 21 April.

In an age of information overload, Sunrise is The Namibian’s morning briefing, delivered at 6h00 from Monday to Friday. It offers a curated rundown of the most important stories from the past 24 hours – occasionally with a light, witty touch. It’s an essential way to stay informed. Subscribe and join our newsletter community.