DRC millions lead to fraud charge

A double blow has been dealt the Swakopmund estate agents trading as Kintscher Estate Agents and Auctioneers, who are battling a lawsuit in the High Court over the missing millions of a Democratic Republic of Congo''s (DRC) army general. They are now facing a criminal charge of fraud too.Erwin Rosalia Ludovic Spranger and Lorinda Heidi Spranger have been charged with fraud, alternatively theft by convergence. They yesterday made a brief appearance during the criminal case management proceedings in the Windhoek High Court.The fraud charges come in the wake of the dismissal of an application for absolution instituted by Erwin Spranger in the High Court in the proceedings instituted by the DRC army general, Francoisé Olenga. Acting Judge Thomas Masuku ruled that the estate agent had a case to answer. Spranger had claimed that he did not carry the burden of proof in the N$10 million lawsuit against him by Olenga and asked that the case be dismissed.The estate agent, after the testimony of Olenga, submitted the application on the basis that the applicant had a weak case and had failed to make a prima facie case. Spranger alleged that there was not enough evidence to proceed with the case.However the court dismissed the application for absolution and requested the two parties to consult and set a date for the hearing of the lawsuit.The State alleges that the accused persons were at all material times married couple, practicing as estate agents under the name and style as Kintscher Estate Agents and Auctioneers with their place of business at Woermann Brock Mall in Swakopmund. According to the charge sheet Erwin Spranger during January 2010 agreed with Olenga that the latter pay some money to him for the purpose of developing his properties in Namibia.Spranger allegedly misrepresented to Olenga that he would keep the money in trust on the general''s behalf. It is further alleged that Spranger misrepresented to Olenga that he would spend the money on expenditures expressly approved by Olenga. Spranger would upon Olenga''s demand pay back the said funds to him.The State alleges that during the period from 10 February 2010 to 6 July 2010 Olenga''s funds totalling N$6.7 million were transferred by Breadfeld Trade Ltd into the Kintscher Estate Agents and Auctioneers bank account.The banking details supplied to Olenga purported that to be Spranger''s trust account while it was actually his business account. Both Spranger and his wife had signing rights for this bank account.According to the State, once the money was in the said bank account, the Spranger couple stole, misappropriated, or converted all of Olenga''s money for their own use.FRED GOEIEMAN

DRC millions lead to fraud charge

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Namibian Sun 2025-05-07

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DRC millions lead to fraud charge

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Namibian Sun 2025-05-07

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