No N$6.2m theft at Amta, says Zaamwani

Agriculture minister Inge Zaamwani has dismissed claims that N$6.2 million was stolen from the Agro Marketing and Trade Agency (Amta), saying the allegations were “not an accurate reflection of the reality on the ground”.

"Amta was not defrauded of N$6.2 million as alleged. Rather, as a result of inadequate and ineffective financial control systems and accountability, third parties and employees unduly benefited from Amta's financial resources without restriction, resulting in a potential financial prejudice to Amta exceeding N$6.2 million," she said in parliament in response to questions from IPC parliamentarian Michael Mulunga.

Zaamwani said disciplinary proceedings against Amta's former managing director and former senior manager for finance and logistics followed a forensic investigation by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), which found serious weaknesses in the entity's financial controls.

The forensic audit concluded that Amta management at the time had failed to manage the organisation's financial affairs with the required prudence, care and diligence, leaving its financial resources vulnerable to misuse, loss or misappropriation by employees and third parties.

Lawyer fees

The minister said the two former executives were not dismissed because N$6.2 million had gone missing but because they were found guilty of multiple disciplinary charges, including breach of trust, gross negligence and failure to safeguard the interests of the employer.

Zaamwani also rejected Mulunga's claim that the Amta board spent more than N$10 million on lawyers, saying it was "significantly less".

"The employees involved were senior executives, and, owing to the seniority of their positions, the process was inherently complex and took longer. Consequently, Amta found it necessary to engage legal practitioners to manage these proceedings," she explained.

Zaamwani told parliament that, following the dismissal of the former executives and the non-renewal of other affected contracts, Amta's financial management systems, processes and accountability had improved significantly.

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