Aupindi slapped with N$50 000 fine

Former Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) boss Tobie Aupindi and his Italian co-accused business partner Antonio di Savino have been slapped with N$50 000 fines or a 30 months’ imprisonment following their conviction this morning in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court. They were found guilty of providing false information to an authorised officer of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). The sentencing was handed down by Windhoek magistrate Helvi Shilemba. The two businessmen were each found guilty on a main charge of fraud, namely of corruptly providing false information to an ACC authorised officer William Lloyd, by stating that Aupindi had paid N$50 000 in cash to local company LIC Pools for a swimming pool installed at his house in Hochland Park. Nampa reported that in her ruling, Shilemba said the prosecution team, led by senior public prosecutor Arrie Husselmann, proved beyond reasonable doubt that Aupindi did not pay for the swimming pool himself, and that Di Savino in fact paid for the pool as a kickback in exchange for tile tenders awarded to him for refurbishment work done at NWR resorts across the country.
ELLANIE SMIT