Veteran lawyer Dirk Conradie has been sentenced to pay a fine of N$200 000 or serve a five-year prison term on two charges under the Anti-Corruption Act on which he was found guilty in February.
Conradie and a co-accused, Sara Damases, were sentenced in the Windhoek High Court on Monday.
Judge Thomas Masuku found Conradie and Damases guilty on counts of corruptly soliciting gratification as a reward for using influence in procuring a contract, and attempting or conspiring to contravene sections of the Anti-Corruption Act.
He found that Conradie solicited gratification from the directors of an advertising company, DV8 Saatchi & Saatchi, during a meeting at the offices of his law firm, Conradie & Damaseb, in Windhoek in June 2012.
Conradie did so by asking the advertising company’s directors to agree to take Damases on board in their business as a black economic empowerment partner or in any other role, while promising that in return he would use his influence with the board of directors of the company Mobile Telecommunications Limited (MTC), of which he was the chairperson, to ensure an advertising contract worth about N$60 million would be awarded to DV8.
Masuku sentenced Damases to pay a fine of N$60 000 or serve a prison term of two years.
He said he considered that Conradie abused his position as chairperson of the MTC board of directors.
Neither Conradie nor Damases benefited personally from the scheme in which they were involved, though, Masuku noted.
