The man accused of masterminding the acid attack on late Ondangwa prosecutor Justine Shiweda on Friday declined, in the Ondangwa Magistrate’s Court, to reveal the source of the N$40 000 he used to allegedly purchase a vehicle as a gift to co-accused Lukas Nekwiyu.
The vehicle is central to the state’s case, as it was allegedly used to transport the acid from Windhoek to northern Namibia.
The state claims the acid was subsequently used in the attack on Shiweda in October last year. She died in hospital in February, as a result of the attack.
Abner Mateus was testifying during the bail hearing of his nephew and co-accused, Petrus Shikwaya, in the Ondangwa Magistrate’s Court.
According to the state, Shikwaya provided fuel for the vehicle’s journey from Windhoek to the north and handed N$1 200 to co-accused Petrus Uusiku and Johannes Nghilifavali to purchase acid from an unnamed business in Windhoek.
Mateus, however, denies that the money was intended to buy acid.
“The intended purpose that was known to me was that of a service kit, not to buy acid,” he told the court.
The state alleges the acid was bought on 29 September last year.
The Suzuki vehicle later overturned in northern Namibia while Uusiku and another person were travelling back to Windhoek in early October.
During cross-examination, State prosecutor Yeukai Kangira alleged that Mateus, whom the state accuses of masterminding the acid attack, bought the vehicle for Nekwiyu, who allegedly procured the acid used in the attack.
Kangira further claimed that the N$40 000 used to buy the vehicle originated from Abner Samuel, a relative of both Mateus and Shikwaya, whom the state is also implicating in the N$2.1 million Sanlam fraud case.
“The money is mine. It is not Abner Samuel’s money,” Mateus insisted.
However, when asked to explain the source of the funds, he refused.
“I am not at liberty to disclose the source of the money because I am facing money laundering charges,” he said.
The ownership of the vehicle emerged as another point of contention during the proceedings.
Earlier testimony from Shikwaya indicated that the vehicle belonged to Samuel, who had allegedly instructed him to purchase a vehicle for a planned Yango business in Windhoek.
Mateus, however, maintained that the Suzuki was his.
“He does not know who the car belongs to, whether it belongs to me or Samuel. Our bond is like that.
I have also registered some of my cars in his name,” Mateus testified.
“The applicant (Shikwaya) would not necessarily know which property belongs to me or my brother. He might be under the impression that the car belonged to Kotokeni (Samuel).
The Suzuki was not his. He only wanted to buy it.”
“If it was a gift, why was it being taken to Windhoek?” he asked.
The matter was postponed to today for the continuation of Shikwaya’s bail application.
