Mood at court more sombre

THE High Court inquiry into the Social Security Commission’s N$30 million investment with little-known Avid Investments entered its twelfth day yesterday on a much more subdued note than was the case before it went into recess two weeks ago.

Although people still queued in front of the court to get a highly coveted seat, the numbers were less than a fortnight ago, when crowds pushed and shoved their way into the building to see the late Avid CEO Lazarus Kandara give testimony. Kandara is claimed to have committed suicide in front of the Police Station on August 24, after spending two days in the witness box, before being arrested by Police on theft and fraud charges.The Police presence remained strong both outside the courthouse and within, where they searched the public and controlled the numbers entering Court C.Even the courtroom was quieter than during the earlier sittings, with people were turned away when the available seats were filled.At previous sessions people had crammed into every available space, with some even sitting on the floor and even in the dock.The other major player in the Avid saga, Namangol Investments CEO Nico Josea, who has spent more than a month in Police custody, arrived at the court handcuffed for the first time since his arrest.Even he appeared less jovial than on previous occasions – when he had got out of the Police vehicle and crossed the road with his hands in his pockets, or shook hands with bystanders and talked to the media.Yesterday, he told the press that he would not be smiling for any of their photographs, as he had done earlier.Kicking off proceedings, SSC legal counsel Andrew Corbett said on behalf of the SSC’s legal team and the liquidators involved in the inquiry that he wished to publicly place on record their condolences to Kandara’s family and friends.”We view any death as a loss and would like to express our condolences publicly,” he said.Kandara is claimed to have committed suicide in front of the Police Station on August 24, after spending two days in the witness box, before being arrested by Police on theft and fraud charges.The Police presence remained strong both outside the courthouse and within, where they searched the public and controlled the numbers entering Court C.Even the courtroom was quieter than during the earlier sittings, with people were turned away when the available seats were filled.At previous sessions people had crammed into every available space, with some even sitting on the floor and even in the dock.The other major player in the Avid saga, Namangol Investments CEO Nico Josea, who has spent more than a month in Police custody, arrived at the court handcuffed for the first time since his arrest.Even he appeared less jovial than on previous occasions – when he had got out of the Police vehicle and crossed the road with his hands in his pockets, or shook hands with bystanders and talked to the media.Yesterday, he told the press that he would not be smiling for any of their photographs, as he had done earlier.Kicking off proceedings, SSC legal counsel Andrew Corbett said on behalf of the SSC’s legal team and the liquidators involved in the inquiry that he wished to publicly place on record their condolences to Kandara’s family and friends.”We view any death as a loss and would like to express our condolences publicly,” he said.