Shalli shafted

PRESIDENT Hifikepunye Pohamba yesterday suspended the chief of the Namibian Defence Force, Lieutenant General Martin Shalli, amidst allegations of kickbacks, as well as intense political speculation about the timing and motivation.

The news is reported to have sent shockwaves through the rank and file of the NDF, especially the army.The Namibian has it on good authority that Shalli is accused of allegedly having ‘millions of dollars’ transferred to him, through a third party, by a Chinese company from whom the NDF bought equipment.In a media statement, Presidential Affairs Minister Albert Kawana said the suspension followed ‘serious allegations of irregularities which must be thoroughly investigated’.He said Shalli’s suspension will facilitate an unhindered investigation.Swapo’s Politburo was briefed on the move yesterday morning.Kawana also announced that Major General Peter Nambundunga, seen as a close ally of former President Sam Nujoma, will act as Chief of the NDF until the case is finalised.THE ALLEGATIONSPolitically the suspension has been greeted with scepticism in many quarters (see separate report, page 2).The allegations are believed to date back to the time Shalli spent in Zambia as Namibia’s High Commissioner.Sources claimed that he kept in contact with some staff members at the High Commission after he was recalled by Pohamba in November 2006 to take over from Solomon Hawala, who retired.Shalli is alleged to have used an account of a staff member at the High Commission and had ‘millions of dollars’ transferred into that account.The staff member is then alleged to have passed on the money to Shalli who was in Namibia by then.However, the Zambian Police and intelligence services are reported to have got wind that some-thing was amiss when they were tipped off about large sums allegedly flowing into an account of a rank and file embassy staff member and the person was questioned.It is believed that the person spilled the beans during questioning, and was recently handed over to a special unit dealing with money laundering in the Namibian Police as well as the Anti-Corruption Commission.Sources said Shalli explained that some US$250 000 was transferred to him from China from people who rented his house in Windhoek for a year.’I am not commenting. It’s not the right thing to do,’ Shalli told The Namibian, when approached yesterday.Sources said Prosecutor General Martha Imalwa recently visited China to, among others, finalise the investigation and that yesterday’s statement from State House was ‘just a formality’.’What they are checking at the moment is whether any other person had also benefited from the millions. The investigation on his (Shalli’s) part is done,’ said a source.THE COMMISSIONKawana said the Security Commission, which also approved Shalli’s NDF appointment, made the recommendation to the President.The commission comprises of Shalli himself, the Inspector General of Namibian Police, Commissioner of Prisons, Chairperson of the Public Service Commission and two members of the National Assembly, appointed by the President on the recommendation of the National Assembly.Shalli’s suspension comes on the heels of another major tender corruption story that involved a Chinese company and N$120 million.A career officer, Shalli served in the NDF from 1990 until February 2005, when former President Sam Nujoma, in a surprise move, posted him to Zambia as the country’s High Commissioner.A little more than 18 months later Pohamba recalled him and appointed him as Namibia’s third Chief of Defence Force on the recommendation of the Security Commission, which rated him the ‘best candidate’.He was the first soldier and diplomat in charge of the NDF and had vowed to clean the army of corruption and poor discipline.’My message for any undisciplined members of the NDF is simple and unequivocal – shape up or ship out!’ he said when he was unveiled as the new commander of the army.