Hanse-Himarwa suffers setback
Former education minister Katrina Hanse-Himarwa suffered a setback yesterday when High Court judge Christie Liebenberg struck her appeal from the roll, saying he did not see any chance that the Supreme Court would overturn her corruption conviction.
She was found guilty of corruptly using her office to change the list of beneficiaries of a Mariental mass housing project.
Hanse-Himarwa removed two beneficiaries and inserted the names of family members. She was fined N$50 000 or 24 months in prison.
Liebenberg said yesterday that Hanse-Himarwa's application for leave to appeal failed to show that there are any prospects that she will succeed to have her conviction overturned in the Supreme Court.
“The applicant's assertion of lack of funds as the sole reason for delay in filing the application is inadequate,” he added.
Hanse-Himarwa's South African lawyer Barry Roux had argued that the former education minister was not satisfied with the High Court's decision to find her guilty of corruption.
Roux submitted that the Supreme Court should examine whether the approach followed by the High Court was correct.
The State, led by deputy prosecutor-general Ed Marondedze, opposed Hanse-Himarwa's application on the grounds that there was no misdirection by the High Court.
The guilty verdict delivered in July 2019 led to the former minister's resignation.
Hanse-Himarwa did not indicate whether she plans to appeal the Liebenberg's ruling.
When asked by reporters whether she would approach the Supreme Court, she said: “You are asking me questions so that you can go and twist it your way. Go and wait on me, you will still hear from me.”
OGONE TLHAGE
She was found guilty of corruptly using her office to change the list of beneficiaries of a Mariental mass housing project.
Hanse-Himarwa removed two beneficiaries and inserted the names of family members. She was fined N$50 000 or 24 months in prison.
Liebenberg said yesterday that Hanse-Himarwa's application for leave to appeal failed to show that there are any prospects that she will succeed to have her conviction overturned in the Supreme Court.
“The applicant's assertion of lack of funds as the sole reason for delay in filing the application is inadequate,” he added.
Hanse-Himarwa's South African lawyer Barry Roux had argued that the former education minister was not satisfied with the High Court's decision to find her guilty of corruption.
Roux submitted that the Supreme Court should examine whether the approach followed by the High Court was correct.
The State, led by deputy prosecutor-general Ed Marondedze, opposed Hanse-Himarwa's application on the grounds that there was no misdirection by the High Court.
The guilty verdict delivered in July 2019 led to the former minister's resignation.
Hanse-Himarwa did not indicate whether she plans to appeal the Liebenberg's ruling.
When asked by reporters whether she would approach the Supreme Court, she said: “You are asking me questions so that you can go and twist it your way. Go and wait on me, you will still hear from me.”
OGONE TLHAGE
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