Munyama Set to Make U-Turn in Fraud Case

ONE year and five months after his fraud, forgery and uttering trial started, former Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) Director General (DG) Gerry Munyama is expected to change his tune in the High Court on Monday.

During a session that was over within minutes, Munyama's lawyer Boris Isaacks yesterday morning asked Judge Kato van Niekerk to postpone the proceedings until Monday.

This, Isaacks said, was because he had received instructions from Munyama "for a plea".

Despite having pleaded not guilty to the charges on at least two occasions in the past, it now appears as if Munyama has changed his mind.

The lengthy legal proceedings that started with his arrest on November 28 2005 are said to have ruined Munyama financially.

On the day following his arrest, Munyama was released on bail of N$20 000.

The 54-year-old Munyama and Engelbrecht Theodor (44) stand accused of one charge of fraud each, while Munyama was also charged with one count each of forgery and uttering.

Engelbrecht was arrested almost two years after his co-accused - on November 8 2007 - and released the next day on bail of N$5 000.

In the charge sheet, the State alleges that Munyama had approached Standard Bank in 2005 and successfully opened an "NBC Executive Account" using a forged NBC board resolution.

As a result of his position at the NBC, he managed to source N$25 000 from First National Bank, having claimed that the money would be used to finance a training workshop for NBC employees. The amount was allegedly paid into the Standard Bank account to which Munyama had exclusive access and signing rights.

Apart from this, Munyama is also alleged to have sold Old Mutual shares belonging to the NBC for N$320 995. This money too is alleged to have been deposited into the Standard Bank account.

The State further alleges that Munyama drew several cash cheques "for his own personal gain and use until all the funds were exhausted from the account".

Furthermore, Munyama and Theodor, a co-founder of Khomas Engineering CC, had two cheques issued in the name of this business "in furtherance of their plan to defraud the NBC", the State alleges.

Munyama is said to have handed these cheques over to Theodor who allegedly deposited it into his business account after which Theodor allegedly withdrew the money from the account immediately.

The money allegedly pocketed through these cheques amounted to N$244 750. This brings the total amount of money involved in the alleged scam to close to N$346 000.

It is unclear what exactly Munyama will plead guilty to. Isaacks was ordered to provide the defence's plea to the prosecution by this afternoon at 14h00.

Theodor is represented by Gerson Hinda, while State Advocate Ed Marondedze represents the State.