PCC paid for Nujoma to hunt

PATRIOTIC Construction Company (PCC), a subsidiary of the failed Development Brigade Corporation (DBC), paid about N$40 000 for one of President Sam Nujoma’s hunting expeditions.

This was revealed at the Presidential inquiry into the DBC and Amcom yesterday, where a myriad of ‘shocking’ financial misdeeds at the PCC, before it collapsed in 2002, were brought to the fore. Under fire is the company’s former General Manager, Eddie Champion, the man on whose farm Nujoma undertook the controversial hunting trip – one of the President’s favourite pastimes.The hunting trip took place from November 3 to 11 2000 in the Karas Region.During yesterday’s hearing, the commissioners were at pains in trying to establish from PCC’s former Financial Manager, Hendrik Maritz, whether Nujoma’s visit to Champion’s property was private or official.”Was this a private visit or State visit?” asked commissioner Bro-Mathew Shinguadja.”I don’t know,” Maritz responded, shrugging his shoulders.Commission chairperson, Petrus Unengu, intervened: “What did Champion supply to PCC with the President’s visit to warrant these payments? … We want to know why the company paid this money.””It was [for the] President’s hunts, Sir,” Maritz declared, prompting a seemingly bemused Unengu to further ask: “What is that … you mean he was hunting on the farm?”Maritz:”Yes, Sir, Mr Champion had a good relationship with the President.I think it [the visit] was done to benefit PCC.”Commissioner Brian Nalisa put it to him that Nujoma’s visit was a private undertaking by Champion that had nothing to do with the company.”It would not be fair for me to say that, because maybe the intention of Mr Champion was to get help for the PCC in a difficult situation,” the witness maintained.The head of state’s name also surfaced when the commissioners wanted to know why Champion used the company’s entertainment allowance to buy cement and paint for his private house.Maritz again attributed the expenditure to Nujoma’s visit, triggering a long debate with the commissioners on whether the President’s visit could be categorised as entertainment.”The visit of the President to your farm … that could be entertainment if you look at it as a whole.You have to paint your house for that high visit,” Maritz argued.”I doubt that would be entertainment if His Excellency visited the farm in an official capacity … if the visit was private, yes then that could be entertainment.”The hearing was further told that a number of items, including a solar panel, table cloths and crockery, which were bought for the visit, were never taken to the company.The former PCC general manager was also alleged to have siphoned hundreds of thousands of dollars from the company through fraudulent claims and other unauthorised expenditure.Among them, the PCC apparently bought Champion’s wife a cellphone and paid for the calls, rented a house for the GM while at the same time receiving a monthly housing allowance of N$18 000.The company allegedly also paid for Champion’s groceries, furniture and toiletries, as well as cigarettes under the so-called ‘Employee Welfare’.”This was really a welfare organisation,” one of the commissioners remarked.Maritz acknowledged most of the payments for purchases, which were apparently authorised and signed by Champion himself, but adamantly maintained that he could not confront him because he was afraid.”Please understand me Sir, I could not ask such questions, it was very difficult.Just bring other former employees of PCC here, they will tell,” he pleaded with the commissioners.The hearing continues today, when Champion, who spent most of yesterday’s hearing holding his head in his hands or gently stroking his hair, is expected to answer to the allegations against him.Under fire is the company’s former General Manager, Eddie Champion, the man on whose farm Nujoma undertook the controversial hunting trip – one of the President’s favourite pastimes.The hunting trip took place from November 3 to 11 2000 in the Karas Region.During yesterday’s hearing, the commissioners were at pains in trying to establish from PCC’s former Financial Manager, Hendrik Maritz, whether Nujoma’s visit to Champion’s property was private or official.”Was this a private visit or State visit?” asked commissioner Bro-Mathew Shinguadja.”I don’t know,” Maritz responded, shrugging his shoulders.Commission chairperson, Petrus Unengu, intervened: “What did Champion supply to PCC with the President’s visit to warrant these payments? … We want to know why the company paid this money.””It was [for the] President’s hunts, Sir,” Maritz declared, prompting a seemingly bemused Unengu to further ask: “What is that … you mean he was hunting on the farm?”Maritz:”Yes, Sir, Mr Champion had a good relationship with the President.I think it [the visit] was done to benefit PCC.”Commissioner Brian Nalisa put it to him that Nujoma’s visit was a private undertaking by Champion that had nothing to do with the company.”It would not be fair for me to say that, because maybe the intention of Mr Champion was to get help for the PCC in a difficult situation,” the witness maintained.The head of state’s name also surfaced when the commissioners wanted to know why Champion used the company’s entertainment allowance to buy cement and paint for his private house.Maritz again attributed the expenditure to Nujoma’s visit, triggering a long debate with the commissioners on whether the President’s visit could be categorised as entertainment.”The visit of the President to your farm … that could be entertainment if you look at it as a whole.You have to paint your house for that high visit,” Maritz argued.”I doubt that would be entertainment if His Excellency visited the farm in an official capacity … if the visit was private, yes then that could be entertainment.”The hearing was further told that a number of items, including a solar panel, table cloths and crockery, which were bought for the visit, were never taken to the company.The former PCC general manager was also alleged to have siphoned hundreds of thousands of dollars from the company through fraudulent claims and other unauthorised expenditure.Among them, the PCC apparently bought Champion’s wife a cellphone and paid for the calls, rented a house for the GM while at the same time receiving a monthly housing allowance of N$18 000.The company allegedly also paid for Champion’s groceries, furniture and toiletries, as well as cigarettes under the so-called ‘Employee Welfare’.”This was really a welfare organisation,” one of the commissioners remarked.Maritz acknowledged most of the payments for purchases, which were apparently authorised and signed by Champion himself, but adamantly maintained that he could not confront him because he was afraid.”Please understand me Sir, I could not ask such questions, it was very difficult.Just bring other former employees of PCC here, they will tell,” he pleaded with the commissioners.The hearing continues today, when Champion, who spent most of yesterday’s hearing holding his head in his hands or gently stroking his hair, is expected to answer to the allegations against him.