Shiweda says he considered laying charges over delay in SSC payout

FORMER Defence Force Brigadier Mathias Shiweda was so concerned about the Social Security Commission’s investment with Avid Investment Corporation being overdue that he went to the highest authority in Police for help – Inspector General Sebastian Ndeitunga.

The last person to testify before the High Court inquiry yesterday, Shiweda further said it was “utter nonsense” that had ever received N$40 000 or any other money through his dealings with Avid. He said that although he sympathised with her for losing her husband, he planned a defamation suit against Christophine Kandara, wife of the late Lazarus Kandara, for claiming that she had given him money on her husband’s instruction.”She doesn’t know me.I think she was just given names by her husband,” he maintained.In fact, Shiweda said it was “an insult” to think that he would consider N$40 000 a reasonable sum of money, given what is generated by his vast business dealings.Shiweda said as a shareholder he expected to only receive a dividend at the end of the year, and not “commission”.Shiweda told the court that he was actually very disappointed at having been on the bottom of the list to testify, because he had already suffered from an “information bias”, given all that had already been said about him – much of which he claimed was “all made-up things”.Nevertheless, he was at pains to stress that he was “uneasy” about certain aspects of the SSC’s investment with Avid, including the guarantee bond from Allan Rosenberg.”It was not what I was expecting,” he said, telling the court that he met with Avid Board Chairperson Inez /Gâses to look over the arrangement.Upon learning that the Avid investment was overdue, Shiweda said he contacted Kandara for an explanation and when the money still did not mature by the time Kandara told him, he went straight to Ndeitunga.”I was concerned because that amount was a big amount, it’s public money and, thirdly, I had my own interests.I thought I’d make money out of it,” he told the court.He said after Ndeitunga had put him in touch with a Police officer to investigate the case, he was told that the Police could not gain access to the FNB accounts to see how the money had been moved and that he would have to lay a formal charge for any further investigation to take place.Shiweda claimed that he approached Avid director Paulus Kapia to discuss laying charges with the Police, but when Kapia got back to him after presumably consulting others, he said it wasn’t necessary and there was merely a delay in returning the SSC’s money.Shiweda said from evidence given to the court it was clear that people did not know what directors’ responsibilities were.He said he believed that Kandara had picked his directors merely to get names on a document, which would help him to get his hands on money.Shiweda said he had only accepted becoming a shareholder of Avid and not a director, but that he was not required to make any financial injection in return for shares.”This confusion should be seen in light of the business proposal to SSC with good intentions and those who chopped the money like Nico [Josea] and others.The separation must be clear.A thief crept in, self-appointed…,” he said.Shiweda said when he accepted shareholding in Avid he thought the intentions of the company were genuine and that there was nothing to hide.To this end, he said he even told Secretary to Cabinet Frans Kapofi, who was the SSC’s board chairperson at the time Avid secured the investment, that Kandara was involved in the company.”There was nothing to hide, so I told them,” he said, adding that it was a matter of work ethics and to “allay suspicion” that there may have been about Kandara.”He [Kapofi] inquired and I confirmed.He [Kapofi] knows, the SSC knows, everybody knows,” he said of Kandara’s involvement.Shiweda said he had never met Christophine Kandara and didn’t even know what she looked like.He said he had “legally” tried to get someone to take her picture at the court because he had been told that her appearance had changed.Mrs Kandara had testified that Shiweda had accompanied former Avid director Otniel Podewiltz to her house to collect money from her.Shiweda said although Blaauw and Kapia had introduced him to Avid, it was always clear in his mind that Blaauw’s wife Sharon was a director and that her husband held no position within the company.In an affidavit presented to the court, Shiweda also stated that he believed that the asset management company would be “an arm of the Swapo Party Youth League”.He said that although he sympathised with her for losing her husband, he planned a defamation suit against Christophine Kandara, wife of the late Lazarus Kandara, for claiming that she had given him money on her husband’s instruction.”She doesn’t know me.I think she was just given names by her husband,” he maintained.In fact, Shiweda said it was “an insult” to think that he would consider N$40 000 a reasonable sum of money, given what is generated by his vast business dealings.Shiweda said as a shareholder he expected to only receive a dividend at the end of the year, and not “commission”.Shiweda told the court that he was actually very disappointed at having been on the bottom of the list to testify, because he had already suffered from an “information bias”, given all that had already been said about him – much of which he claimed was “all made-up things”.Nevertheless, he was at pains to stress that he was “uneasy” about certain aspects of the SSC’s investment with Avid, including the guarantee bond from Allan Rosenberg.”It was not what I was expecting,” he said, telling the court that he met with Avid Board Chairperson Inez /Gâses to look over the arrangement.Upon learning that the Avid investment was overdue, Shiweda said he contacted Kandara for an explanation and when the money still did not mature by the time Kandara told him, he went straight to Ndeitunga.”I was concerned because that amount was a big amount, it’s public money and, thirdly, I had my own interests.I thought I’d make money out of it,” he told the court.He said after Ndeitunga had put him in touch with a Police officer to investigate the case, he was told that the Police could not gain access to the FNB accounts to see how the money had been moved and that he would have to lay a formal charge for any further investigation to take place.Shiweda claimed that he approached Avid director Paulus Kapia to discuss laying charges with the Police, but when Kapia got back to him after presumably consulting others, he said it wasn’t necessary and there was merely a delay in returning the SSC’s money.Shiweda said from evidence given to the court it was clear that people did not know what directors’ responsibilities were.He said he believed that Kandara had picked his directors merely to get names on a document, which would help him to get his hands on money.Shiweda said he had only accepted becoming a shareholder of Avid and not a director, but that he was not required to make any financial injection in return for shares.”This confusion should be seen in light of the business proposal to SSC with good intentions and those who chopped the money like Nico [Josea] and others.The separation must be clear.A thief crept in, self-appointed…,” he said.Shiweda said when he accepted shareholding in Avid he thought the intentions of the company were genuine and that there was nothing to hide.To this end, he said he even told Secretary to Cabinet Frans Kapofi, who was the SSC’s board chairperson at the time Avid secured the investment, that Kandara was involved in the company.”There was nothing to hide, so I told them,” he said, adding that it was a matter of work ethics and to “allay suspicion” that there may have been about Kandara.”He [Kapofi] inquired and I confirmed.He [Kapofi] knows, the SSC knows, everybody knows,” he said of Kandara’s involvement.Shiweda said he had never met Christophine Kandara and didn’t even know what she looked like.He said he had “legally” tried to get someone to take her picture at the court because he had been told that her appearance had changed.
Mrs Kandara had testified that Shiweda had accompanied former Avid director Otniel Podewiltz to her house to collect money from her.Shiweda said although Blaauw and Kapia had introduced him to Avid, it was always clear in his mind that Blaauw’s wife Sharon was a director and that her husband held no position within the company.In an affidavit presented to the court, Shiweda also stated that he believed that the asset management company would be “an arm of the Swapo Party Youth League”.