28 September 2014, Rundu — Two former FNB employees appeared in the Rundu Magistrate Court on Tuesday, on charges related to the alleged fraud of N$2 million of state funds, following their detention on Sunday.
It is alleged the two suspects Kandjilu John Bento, 29 from Kehemu Location and Tuneya Martin Thimuna, 25 from NHE Kings Park in Rundu, embezzled over N$2 million belonging to the Ministry of Home affairs, the Ministry of Safety and Security, the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Health and Social Services.
“It was detected by the auditors of the ministries that the deposit slips they received were stamped with banks date stamps but the money was never processed into the state’s accounts as public funds,” explained Detective Police Inspector, Hendricks Mulele.
It is alleged Thimuna embezzled N$683 365 while allegedly Kandjilu misappropriated the lion’s share of N$1.9 million. The two suspects worked at First National Bank (FNB) in Rundu until recently and according to Inspector Hendricks Mulele the two suspects resigned when investigations against them started.
“They resigned when investigations started, the other one resigned before the end of August and the other one in early September,” Mulele told New Era upon inquiry on Wednesday.
Each of the two suspects appeared in court on charges of fraud and theft before magistrate Esme Molefe and Albert Titus prosecuted.
The case was then postponed to November 19, for both suspects to engage private lawyers and for further police investigations. They were both given bail of N$30 000 each on condition they surrender their travel documents to the investigating officer and not to leave the Rundu district without the knowledge of the police.
Another condition attached was they should report themselves every Friday at Rundu Police Station between 09h00 to 16h00.
A black Toyota Hilux bakkie belonging to one of the suspects, Kandjilu John Bento, has been confiscated by the police as an exhibit.
*New Era – Namibia
