Guibeb in debt scandal

JEMIMA BEUKES
A German newspaper has accused the Namibian ambassador to Germany, Andreas Guibeb, of abusing his diplomatic status and running up debts of about 80 000 euros (N$1.2 million).
According to an article published in the online edition of the newspaper Bild, a warrant for Guibeb’s arrest has been issued.
The newspaper reported that Guibeb had failed to account for 34 500 euros that formed part of a research contract that he had entered into with the Friedrich Schiller University in 2016 as representative of the organisation Friends of Namibia.
Guibeb is also accused of failing to pay a communications firm called Diskurs Communication 46 410 euros owed for media work and the maintenance of the embassy’s website.
According to the newspaper, no one from the embassy has responded to the matter since the summer of 2016, and Diskurs Communication incurred legal costs of 2 465 euros because of Guibeb’s diplomatic immunity.
The newspaper quoted an attorney and member of parliament, Olav Gutting, who is trying to assist the aggrieved parties, as saying: “A person who does not remotely understand the principle of pacta sunt servanda, or in layman’s terms, ‘agreements need to be adhered to’, for sure cannot expect German enterprise to invest in Namibia.”
Namibian Sun could not get hold of Guibeb but managed to speak to Brendan Kambuku, the first secretary at the Namibian embassy in Germany.
“I spoke to him. He told me there will be a press release issued in the afternoon in which he will give his side of the story,” Kambuku said.
State House press secretary Alfredo Hengari also said they would respond to the report in due course.