Hanse-Himarwa on trial next month
Education minister Katrina Hanse-Himarwa will go on trial on corruption charges at the end of May.
Hanse-Himarwa yesterday appeared before the Windhoek High Court, where she is facing corruption charges in terms of the Anti-Corruption Act. It is alleged that she corruptly used her office or position to obtain gratification for herself or another person.
The charges stem from the time that she was the governor of the Hardap Region.
At that time the then Ministry of Regional and Local Government and Rural Development constructed houses for low- and middle-income earners under the Mass Housing Development Programme. These houses were to be handed over to the beneficiaries on 17 December 2014.
Teams comprising of ministry officials and the municipality of Mariental were entrusted with the vetting of applicants and selection of beneficiaries.
Hanse-Himarwa was to officially hand over the houses to the beneficiaries.
According to the indictment, when she was handed the list of beneficiaries she directed that two beneficiaries, Regina Kuhlman and Piet Fransman, be removed from the list.
Hanse-Himarwa 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.
Hanse-Himarwa was consequently accused of unlawfully and corruptly using her power and influence as the governor of the region to overrule the decision of the selection team and award houses to her relatives.
It is also alleged that Hansen then rented out the house she was awarded.
“Hanse-Himarwa unilaterally altered the list to favour her relatives without consulting with the councillors and the selecting team,” the State alleges in the indictment.
In a pre-trial memorandum, Hanse-Himarwa indicated through her lawyer, Sisa Namandje, that she would plead not guilty to the charge and file a plea explanation.
She indicated that she would deny having committed an offence in terms of the provisions of the Anti-Corruption Act, or any other corrupt practice, thus placing the onus on the State to prove the allegations against her.
Judge Christie Liebenberg postponed the case to 29 May for trial.
Hanse-Himarwa yesterday appeared before the Windhoek High Court, where she is facing corruption charges in terms of the Anti-Corruption Act. It is alleged that she corruptly used her office or position to obtain gratification for herself or another person.
The charges stem from the time that she was the governor of the Hardap Region.
At that time the then Ministry of Regional and Local Government and Rural Development constructed houses for low- and middle-income earners under the Mass Housing Development Programme. These houses were to be handed over to the beneficiaries on 17 December 2014.
Teams comprising of ministry officials and the municipality of Mariental were entrusted with the vetting of applicants and selection of beneficiaries.
Hanse-Himarwa was to officially hand over the houses to the beneficiaries.
According to the indictment, when she was handed the list of beneficiaries she directed that two beneficiaries, Regina Kuhlman and Piet Fransman, be removed from the list.
Hanse-Himarwa 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.
Hanse-Himarwa was consequently accused of unlawfully and corruptly using her power and influence as the governor of the region to overrule the decision of the selection team and award houses to her relatives.
It is also alleged that Hansen then rented out the house she was awarded.
“Hanse-Himarwa unilaterally altered the list to favour her relatives without consulting with the councillors and the selecting team,” the State alleges in the indictment.
In a pre-trial memorandum, Hanse-Himarwa indicated through her lawyer, Sisa Namandje, that she would plead not guilty to the charge and file a plea explanation.
She indicated that she would deny having committed an offence in terms of the provisions of the Anti-Corruption Act, or any other corrupt practice, thus placing the onus on the State to prove the allegations against her.
Judge Christie Liebenberg postponed the case to 29 May for trial.
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