Police link Nakanduungile to N$1.2m Sanlam fraud in prosecutor attack case
Tuyeimo HaidulaONDANGWA
The bail application of medical doctor Fillemon ‘Fly’ Nakanduungile took a new turn on Friday after a police investigator linked him to a N$1.2 million fraud against Sanlam Namibia, which the state alleges forms part of a broader criminal network tied to the attempted murder of Ondangwa prosecutor Justine Shiweda.Testifying in the Ondangwa Magistrate’s Court, Detective Chief Inspector Antonius Gabriel told the court that the alleged fraud was orchestrated in 2020 by Abner Mateus – accused of masterminding the attack on Shiweda – with Nakanduungile allegedly receiving a portion of the proceeds.
Gabriel testified that Mateus allegedly instructed a woman identified as Claudia to submit a sickness claim to Sanlam using manipulated medical diagnosis documents.
“There was no real sickness. They used a diagnosis report and manipulated it into a sickness claim. The claim was successful,” Gabriel told the court.
According to the investigator, once Sanlam paid out the claim, Mateus allegedly directed how the funds should be distributed. Gabriel testified that N$200 000 was paid to Nakanduungile, N$400 000 to Mateus’ cousin, Israel Shikongo, while about N$193 000 remained with Claudia. Another portion was allegedly paid to a fourth individual whose name Gabriel could not recall.
The court further heard that police later established that N$80 000 from the alleged fraud was paid into the bank account of Nakanduungile’s three-year-old child. Gabriel said the child’s mother refused to report to the police to explain the source of the funds, indicating she would only do so in the presence of her lawyer, Petrus Smart Elago, who also represents Nakanduungile.
Links between fraud and attack
According to Gabriel, the alleged Sanlam fraud originated from Claudia, who is said to have invested N$200 000 into Nakanduungile’s medical practice. She allegedly submitted her medical documents to Mateus, who altered them into a sickness claim before submitting them to Sanlam.
It was during the distribution of the funds, Gabriel testified, that police established that the money paid into Nakanduungile’s account originated from the alleged fraud.
The investigator further testified that Nakanduungile maintained close contact with Mateus, with the two allegedly referring to each other as “brigade”.
While Gabriel was taking a statement from Nakanduungile, the doctor allegedly received three phone calls from Mateus, who is accused of planning the attack on Shiweda from police holding cells. Mateus allegedly warned Nakanduungile not to disclose information about the vehicle used during the attack.
Gabriel told the court the calls were received while Nakanduungile was in the presence of police officers.
Lawyer warning alleged
The court also heard that shortly after the calls from Mateus, a lawyer based in northern Namibia allegedly contacted Nakanduungile and advised him not to cooperate with investigators.
“The lawyer called the applicant and told him, ‘don’t tell that stupid Gabriel anything. If there is anything they want, let them arrest you so that we talk everything in court,’” Gabriel testified.
Gabriel testified that Johannes Nghilifavali (37), the fourth accused in the matter, was arrested in Windhoek while allegedly hiding under his girlfriend’s bed. A subsequent search of the girlfriend’s house allegedly uncovered a police docket containing the accused’s statement, fake currency, spent cartridges and two live bullets.
Victim’s condition described
In an emotional moment in court, Gabriel broke down in tears while describing Shiweda’s deteriorating condition, telling the court that her lungs, liver and kidneys are failing. Prosecutors present in court were also visibly emotional as the condition of their colleague was described.
The bail application is set to continue on Wednesday, when defence lawyer Elago is expected to cross-examine Gabriel. The state is represented by Deputy Prosecutor General for the Oshakati division Tangeni Iitula, assisted by Ondangwa control prosecutor Yeukai Kangira. Magistrate Lutaka Billy Mutwa is presiding.
The bail application of medical doctor Fillemon ‘Fly’ Nakanduungile took a new turn on Friday after a police investigator linked him to a N$1.2 million fraud against Sanlam Namibia, which the state alleges forms part of a broader criminal network tied to the attempted murder of Ondangwa prosecutor Justine Shiweda.Testifying in the Ondangwa Magistrate’s Court, Detective Chief Inspector Antonius Gabriel told the court that the alleged fraud was orchestrated in 2020 by Abner Mateus – accused of masterminding the attack on Shiweda – with Nakanduungile allegedly receiving a portion of the proceeds.
Gabriel testified that Mateus allegedly instructed a woman identified as Claudia to submit a sickness claim to Sanlam using manipulated medical diagnosis documents.
“There was no real sickness. They used a diagnosis report and manipulated it into a sickness claim. The claim was successful,” Gabriel told the court.
According to the investigator, once Sanlam paid out the claim, Mateus allegedly directed how the funds should be distributed. Gabriel testified that N$200 000 was paid to Nakanduungile, N$400 000 to Mateus’ cousin, Israel Shikongo, while about N$193 000 remained with Claudia. Another portion was allegedly paid to a fourth individual whose name Gabriel could not recall.
The court further heard that police later established that N$80 000 from the alleged fraud was paid into the bank account of Nakanduungile’s three-year-old child. Gabriel said the child’s mother refused to report to the police to explain the source of the funds, indicating she would only do so in the presence of her lawyer, Petrus Smart Elago, who also represents Nakanduungile.
Links between fraud and attack
According to Gabriel, the alleged Sanlam fraud originated from Claudia, who is said to have invested N$200 000 into Nakanduungile’s medical practice. She allegedly submitted her medical documents to Mateus, who altered them into a sickness claim before submitting them to Sanlam.
It was during the distribution of the funds, Gabriel testified, that police established that the money paid into Nakanduungile’s account originated from the alleged fraud.
The investigator further testified that Nakanduungile maintained close contact with Mateus, with the two allegedly referring to each other as “brigade”.
While Gabriel was taking a statement from Nakanduungile, the doctor allegedly received three phone calls from Mateus, who is accused of planning the attack on Shiweda from police holding cells. Mateus allegedly warned Nakanduungile not to disclose information about the vehicle used during the attack.
Gabriel told the court the calls were received while Nakanduungile was in the presence of police officers.
Lawyer warning alleged
The court also heard that shortly after the calls from Mateus, a lawyer based in northern Namibia allegedly contacted Nakanduungile and advised him not to cooperate with investigators.
“The lawyer called the applicant and told him, ‘don’t tell that stupid Gabriel anything. If there is anything they want, let them arrest you so that we talk everything in court,’” Gabriel testified.
Gabriel testified that Johannes Nghilifavali (37), the fourth accused in the matter, was arrested in Windhoek while allegedly hiding under his girlfriend’s bed. A subsequent search of the girlfriend’s house allegedly uncovered a police docket containing the accused’s statement, fake currency, spent cartridges and two live bullets.
Victim’s condition described
In an emotional moment in court, Gabriel broke down in tears while describing Shiweda’s deteriorating condition, telling the court that her lungs, liver and kidneys are failing. Prosecutors present in court were also visibly emotional as the condition of their colleague was described.
The bail application is set to continue on Wednesday, when defence lawyer Elago is expected to cross-examine Gabriel. The state is represented by Deputy Prosecutor General for the Oshakati division Tangeni Iitula, assisted by Ondangwa control prosecutor Yeukai Kangira. Magistrate Lutaka Billy Mutwa is presiding.
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