RCC, Nalisa at loggerheads over Benz

THE former General Manager of Human Resources at the Roads Contractor Company (RCC), Brian Nalisa, is refusing to hand back a N$512 000 Mercedes Benz E350, the RCC has confirmed.

Nalisa is one of three top RCC officials whose contracts were not renewed at the end of last year in the wake of former CEO Kelly Nghixulifwa’s suspension in August and his subsequent resignation. Nalisa yesterday denied that he had taken the car.He maintained that he had paid for it “in full” since taking delivery of the vehicle in July last year.”I paid off the full N$260 000 for the car, go and ask Noks [Katjiuongua, the acting CEO],” he said.Acting CEO Noks Katjiuongua initially would only confirm that there was a dispute over the ownership of car, but later confirmed that charges had been laid with the Police in this regard.The criminal charges have apparently failed to elicit any response from either the Police or Nalisa, and the matter was now being pursued through the RCC’s lawyers, Katjiuongua said in a brief telephonic interview.”So far, we have been trying to recover the vehicle in question through the normal channels but we unfortunately have not been successful,” he said.A brief check with the local dealers confirmed that a Mercedes Benz E350 was selling at a base price of N$484 000 by July last year, and that the optional extras ordered by Nalisa would push up the final price to over N$500 000.Nalisa declined to say how he managed to buy the car at a 50 per cent discount, instead referring queries to his lawyer, Coleen Bazuin of GF Koepplinger and Associates.Nalisa yesterday scoffed at the RCC’s laying criminal charges against him.”Do you think I would still have the car if they laid charges?” he asked.Told that the RCC had in fact confirmed this twice, he insisted that the matter be discussed with his lawyers instead.How the RCC came to own the luxury vehicle is now what lies at the heart of the legal dispute: even though Nalisa seemed to have received a company car allowance like all the other senior managers, the RCC appears to have also paid for Nalisa’s car directly.* John Grobler is a freelance journalist; 081 240 1587Nalisa yesterday denied that he had taken the car.He maintained that he had paid for it “in full” since taking delivery of the vehicle in July last year.”I paid off the full N$260 000 for the car, go and ask Noks [Katjiuongua, the acting CEO],” he said. Acting CEO Noks Katjiuongua initially would only confirm that there was a dispute over the ownership of car, but later confirmed that charges had been laid with the Police in this regard.The criminal charges have apparently failed to elicit any response from either the Police or Nalisa, and the matter was now being pursued through the RCC’s lawyers, Katjiuongua said in a brief telephonic interview. “So far, we have been trying to recover the vehicle in question through the normal channels but we unfortunately have not been successful,” he said.A brief check with the local dealers confirmed that a Mercedes Benz E350 was selling at a base price of N$484 000 by July last year, and that the optional extras ordered by Nalisa would push up the final price to over N$500 000. Nalisa declined to say how he managed to buy the car at a 50 per cent discount, instead referring queries to his lawyer, Coleen Bazuin of GF Koepplinger and Associates.Nalisa yesterday scoffed at the RCC’s laying criminal charges against him.”Do you think I would still have the car if they laid charges?” he asked.Told that the RCC had in fact confirmed this twice, he insisted that the matter be discussed with his lawyers instead.How the RCC came to own the luxury vehicle is now what lies at the heart of the legal dispute: even though Nalisa seemed to have received a company car allowance like all the other senior managers, the RCC appears to have also paid for Nalisa’s car directly.* John Grobler is a freelance journalist; 081 240 1587