Beneficiaries rented out Mass Housing homes

JEMIMA BEUKES
The High Court today heard how a relative of former Hardap regional governor Katrina Hanse-Himarwa and a beneficiary of the Mass Housing project, rented out her house for more than a year.
The corruption trial of Hanse-Himarwa resumed in the High Court today.
She stands accused of using her influence as governor to make sure two of her relatives were beneficiaries of the Mass Housing project.
Hanse-Himarwa is accused of instructing that Regina Kuhlman and Piet Fransman be removed from the beneficiary list.

She allegedly instructed that the names of Justine Josephine Gowases and Christiana Lorraine Hansen be added in their place. Gowases is her niece and Hansen is her sister-in-law.
During the proceedings Sara Louisa Gaseb testified that the she had rented the home from Hansen for at least a year before she was asked to vacate it.
“I rented the house at erf 612, Aimablaagte in Mariental from Lorraine Hansen. I paid N$2 000 per month plus water and electricity. There was no signing on paper, we did the agreement orally,” she said.
According to Gaseb she was told to deposit the rent into the FNB account of a certain David J. Hansen.
“In January 2016 she told me that she has found someone else who has children and that I can move out and move in with her mother-in-law where I could rent a room. I refused,” said Gaseb.
Hanse-Himarwa’s lawyer Sisa Namandje yesterday said they had no objection to this witness because they have no knowledge of Gaseb.
Gaseb also confirmed that she never met Hanse-Himarwa personally and only “saw” her in the media.
Before Gaseb took the stand, the court heard the testimony of Domingo Matheus who works for the Mariental municipality as a community development officer.
He also testified that Hansen only moved into the house allocated to her after about two years while Gowases moved in after about six months.
However according to him both still live in the houses.
This is a complete contradiction of what the first witness the ministry of urban and rural development permanent secretary Nghidinua Daniel testified to.
According to him when she asked that the names be added to the list, she had said that she was aware of people that were in dire need of houses.
According to Daniel, Hanse-Himarwa had also indicated that the new beneficiaries were disabled and desperately in need of homes.
Hanse-Himarwa who is now the minister of basic education, arts and culture pleaded not guilty corruption charges in terms of the Anti-Corruption Act when the case started in October last year.
The project, which faltered before being rejuvenated, aims to see 185 000 houses built by 2030 across the country.
The official handover took place on 17 December 2014.
Irregularities
Meanwhile, Namandje yesterday insisted that his client is being framed and accused the witness of covering up facts.
According to him the witness statements are almost identical.
To prove his point he pointed out how at least three of the witnesses had 42 listed as their ages despite having different birthdates.
Even Matheus’ statement was signed at Windhoek while he confirmed that he was at Mariental when he gave the statement.
Namandje also pointed out that all three statements coincidently started with the sentence, “During December 2014…”.
Matheus could not explain these similarities and simply stated that it must have been “a typing error” by the investigating officer or the person who had typed up the statement.
“[But] what is written in the statement is what I have told the officer. I do not have any reason to incriminate the accused person,” he said.
Namandje is representing Hanse-Himarwa, while the state is represented by Salomon Kanyemba and Constance Moyo.
JOVIAL: Former Hardap regional governor Katrina Hanse-Himarwa. Photo: Jemima beukes