N$2.5 mill cigarette fraud case postponed
The fraud case against former employees of the then Indo Atlantic, now Commercial Investment Corporation (CIC) at Walvis Bay, which is on-going for over six years now, has been postponed to 19 July for arguments.
The written arguments are expected to be submitted by both the State and the defence lawyers by next week.
Judge Alfred Siboleka yesterday informed the accused David Martin Bezuidenhout, the former cigarette sales representative of CIC and Venecia Ann Koning, the former administrative clerk of the same company, that due to the voluminous transcripts of the proceedings the lawyers just received, they are now unable to immediately start with their arguments.
Bezuidenhout and Koning are facing a host of fraud and theft charges in cigarette sales involving N$2.5 million.
The two initially faced 36 counts of the same charges but were acquitted on some after a successful application which found that the State did not prove the allegations beyond reasonable doubt. Bezuidenhout now appears on 14 charges of fraud, one count of theft and one of theft by false pretence, while his co-accused Koning is facing 37 charges involving fraud, theft, forgery and theft by false pretence.
It is alleged that the two accused acted with a common purpose between the period October 2006 to August 2007 at Walvis Bay, and defrauded CIC.
Koning allegedly paid cash amounts into accounts of other customers for whom Bezuidenhout had created false invoices for cigarettes that were never delivered.
The evidence is that he delivered 1 000 packets of Benson and Hedges Special Mild to the Trust Market, while the retailer was invoiced for 3 000 packs.
Another delivery showed he delivered 6 000 packets of Dunhill King Size and 4 000 Peter Stuyvesant to Walvis Bay Self Service while the customer was invoiced for 14 000 packets of Peter Stuyvesant and 16 000 packets of Dunhill.
The State alleges he stole the excess cigarettes, sold them and pocketed the proceeds.
It is further alleged that Bezuidenhoudt defrauded Indo Atlantic's clients listed as Kuiseb Shop 4 Value, Bargosa Wholesalers, Walvis Bay Self Service, Parade Supermarket, Trust Market, Metro Walvis Bay, Metro Swakopmund, Shoprite U Save, Shoprite/Checkers Walvis Bay, Sentra Portuguese Market, Spar North Rand Henties and Shoprite Swakopmund.
Bezuidenhout explained that normally on demand he would deliver the requested consignment, it would be picked up at the specific shop and he would take the cash from the sale.
Advocate Simba Nduna appears for State while Boris Isaacks and Titus Ipumbu are in defence of the respective accused.
FRED GOEIEMAN
The written arguments are expected to be submitted by both the State and the defence lawyers by next week.
Judge Alfred Siboleka yesterday informed the accused David Martin Bezuidenhout, the former cigarette sales representative of CIC and Venecia Ann Koning, the former administrative clerk of the same company, that due to the voluminous transcripts of the proceedings the lawyers just received, they are now unable to immediately start with their arguments.
Bezuidenhout and Koning are facing a host of fraud and theft charges in cigarette sales involving N$2.5 million.
The two initially faced 36 counts of the same charges but were acquitted on some after a successful application which found that the State did not prove the allegations beyond reasonable doubt. Bezuidenhout now appears on 14 charges of fraud, one count of theft and one of theft by false pretence, while his co-accused Koning is facing 37 charges involving fraud, theft, forgery and theft by false pretence.
It is alleged that the two accused acted with a common purpose between the period October 2006 to August 2007 at Walvis Bay, and defrauded CIC.
Koning allegedly paid cash amounts into accounts of other customers for whom Bezuidenhout had created false invoices for cigarettes that were never delivered.
The evidence is that he delivered 1 000 packets of Benson and Hedges Special Mild to the Trust Market, while the retailer was invoiced for 3 000 packs.
Another delivery showed he delivered 6 000 packets of Dunhill King Size and 4 000 Peter Stuyvesant to Walvis Bay Self Service while the customer was invoiced for 14 000 packets of Peter Stuyvesant and 16 000 packets of Dunhill.
The State alleges he stole the excess cigarettes, sold them and pocketed the proceeds.
It is further alleged that Bezuidenhoudt defrauded Indo Atlantic's clients listed as Kuiseb Shop 4 Value, Bargosa Wholesalers, Walvis Bay Self Service, Parade Supermarket, Trust Market, Metro Walvis Bay, Metro Swakopmund, Shoprite U Save, Shoprite/Checkers Walvis Bay, Sentra Portuguese Market, Spar North Rand Henties and Shoprite Swakopmund.
Bezuidenhout explained that normally on demand he would deliver the requested consignment, it would be picked up at the specific shop and he would take the cash from the sale.
Advocate Simba Nduna appears for State while Boris Isaacks and Titus Ipumbu are in defence of the respective accused.
FRED GOEIEMAN
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