Kora dirty laundry to be aired in September
ELLANIE SMIT
WINDHOEK
The Kora All-Africa Music Awards scandal, in which N$23 million was paid from government coffers for an event that never took place, will play out in the Windhoek High Court in September.
The court case, which has been dragging on since 2016, has been set down on the court roll for 21 to 25 September.
It had been removed from the roll during the coronavirus stage one lockdown.
The Namibia Tourism Board (NTB) sued Mundial Telecom Sarl and Kora awards founder Ernest Adjovi in September 2016 for N$23.5 million (plus 20% interest), which had been paid for the purchase of a tourism promotion package it never received.
Mundial Telecom Sarl owns the rights to host the Kora Awards, while Adjovi was the president of the company.
History
The matter stems from a written agreement between NTB and Mundial Telecom Sarl for a tourism promotion package to be televised during the 2016 Kora awards ceremony.
The show was initially scheduled for 13 December 2015, but was postponed to 20 March 2016.
As per the contract signed on 4 December 2015, the NTB had to pay N$23.5 million on or before 10 December 2015. However, the first payment of N$5 million was only made on 22 December 2015 and the second (N$5 million) on 23 December 2015.
On 7 January 2016, another N$5 million was transferred and on 17 February 2016, N$8.5 million was paid into the bank account of Mundial Telecom Sarl in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.
The last payment was made about a month before the ceremony was to take place. Promotional video clips featuring Namibia were supposed to be broadcast by all participating African television stations by at least 20 January 2016.
If the ceremony did not take place in Namibia, the NTB was to be refunded the amount paid, less reasonable expenses incurred, within 60 days.
Contract breach
Adjovi said in his affidavit that the cancellation was the direct result of the late payments by the NTB and the Namibian government.
Although Adjovi admitted that the NTB's N$23.5 million was not refunded, he claims his company was not obliged to do so as it had incurred reasonable expenses (damages) in excess of the amount the NTB had paid.
WINDHOEK
The Kora All-Africa Music Awards scandal, in which N$23 million was paid from government coffers for an event that never took place, will play out in the Windhoek High Court in September.
The court case, which has been dragging on since 2016, has been set down on the court roll for 21 to 25 September.
It had been removed from the roll during the coronavirus stage one lockdown.
The Namibia Tourism Board (NTB) sued Mundial Telecom Sarl and Kora awards founder Ernest Adjovi in September 2016 for N$23.5 million (plus 20% interest), which had been paid for the purchase of a tourism promotion package it never received.
Mundial Telecom Sarl owns the rights to host the Kora Awards, while Adjovi was the president of the company.
History
The matter stems from a written agreement between NTB and Mundial Telecom Sarl for a tourism promotion package to be televised during the 2016 Kora awards ceremony.
The show was initially scheduled for 13 December 2015, but was postponed to 20 March 2016.
As per the contract signed on 4 December 2015, the NTB had to pay N$23.5 million on or before 10 December 2015. However, the first payment of N$5 million was only made on 22 December 2015 and the second (N$5 million) on 23 December 2015.
On 7 January 2016, another N$5 million was transferred and on 17 February 2016, N$8.5 million was paid into the bank account of Mundial Telecom Sarl in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.
The last payment was made about a month before the ceremony was to take place. Promotional video clips featuring Namibia were supposed to be broadcast by all participating African television stations by at least 20 January 2016.
If the ceremony did not take place in Namibia, the NTB was to be refunded the amount paid, less reasonable expenses incurred, within 60 days.
Contract breach
Adjovi said in his affidavit that the cancellation was the direct result of the late payments by the NTB and the Namibian government.
Although Adjovi admitted that the NTB's N$23.5 million was not refunded, he claims his company was not obliged to do so as it had incurred reasonable expenses (damages) in excess of the amount the NTB had paid.
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