The truth must out, say people in North

MANY people in the North have expressed shock at the death of Lazarus Kandara, the AVID CEO alleged to have shot himself after his arrest on Wednesday night.

They are also worried about the impact on the High Court inquiry. A number of people said Kandara could still have played a major role in revealing what happened to the N$30 million that the Social Security Commission invested with Avid.”The Government made a big mistake to have arrested Kandara so quickly.They could have handled him with care and not let him know that he would be arrested, so that he could feel free and then give his evidence freely,” said one Oshakati resident, who wished to remain anonymous.He also blamed the Police for allowing Kandara to get his hands on a gun.Some people that The Namibian spoke to did not believe that Kandara had killed himself, and demanded an investigation into his death.”Kandara was a hero in the whole 30 million dollars Avid Investment Corporation scandal and could reveal much more in this case if he was not dead.He, [Nico] Josea and his wife [Mrs Kandara] were making this case a very interesting case, that was attracting the interest of many Namibians, so his death was a very big disappointment to all,” said Sacky Ekandjo, a businessman and community leader from Ondangwa.He added that the Namibian people needed the Avid inquiry to continue.”The truth should come out, especially who authorised the taking away of that money and why,” Ekandjo said.”A clear investigation should be conducted, because the question is still whether this money will be found and how the money will be found now that Kandara, the mastermind behind this, is dead,” he said.Meanwhile, a number of people have welcomed the resignation of Paulus Kapia as Deputy Minister of Works, but are curious about whether he will now resign as Member of Parliament and Secretary of the Swapo Youth Council as well.”If he has resigned from Cabinet because he knows what he did was not in the interest of the country, then he must also resign from Parliament and from that top post he occupies in the Swapo Youth Council,” said a bus owner from Oshakati.A number of people said Kandara could still have played a major role in revealing what happened to the N$30 million that the Social Security Commission invested with Avid.”The Government made a big mistake to have arrested Kandara so quickly.They could have handled him with care and not let him know that he would be arrested, so that he could feel free and then give his evidence freely,” said one Oshakati resident, who wished to remain anonymous.He also blamed the Police for allowing Kandara to get his hands on a gun.Some people that The Namibian spoke to did not believe that Kandara had killed himself, and demanded an investigation into his death. “Kandara was a hero in the whole 30 million dollars Avid Investment Corporation scandal and could reveal much more in this case if he was not dead.He, [Nico] Josea and his wife [Mrs Kandara] were making this case a very interesting case, that was attracting the interest of many Namibians, so his death was a very big disappointment to all,” said Sacky Ekandjo, a businessman and community leader from Ondangwa.He added that the Namibian people needed the Avid inquiry to continue.”The truth should come out, especially who authorised the taking away of that money and why,” Ekandjo said. “A clear investigation should be conducted, because the question is still whether this money will be found and how the money will be found now that Kandara, the mastermind behind this, is dead,” he said.Meanwhile, a number of people have welcomed the resignation of Paulus Kapia as Deputy Minister of Works, but are curious about whether he will now resign as Member of Parliament and Secretary of the Swapo Youth Council as well.”If he has resigned from Cabinet because he knows what he did was not in the interest of the country, then he must also resign from Parliament and from that top post he occupies in the Swapo Youth Council,” said a bus owner from Oshakati.