Corruption exposed at finance ministry Six suspects arrested in connection with fraud of over N$2 million made their first appearance before Magistrate Vicky Nicolaidis in the Walvis Bay Magistrate's Court yesterday.Nicolaidis postponed the case against Morne Feris (21), Henry Visagie (36), Jaqueline Imbili (44), Willemina Visagie (36), Quinton Mathews (42) and Marlon Prins (25) to 10 January 2017.
It is alleged that the accused, four of whom are employees of the Inland Revenue Department in the Ministry of Finance in Walvis Bay, defrauded the institution with N$2 220 781 between 1 April 2013 and November 2016.
The six were arrested on 27 and 28 December. They were charged with fraud and contravening the Anti-Corruption Act.
Prosecutor Tuihaleni Hilikuete opposed bail, saying that the accused could interfere with witnesses and jeopardise the arrest of other suspects.
Nicolaidis denied bail due to the serious nature of the offence.
Relatives of the accused who turned up at court expressed shock while others were seen crying in the corridors.
According to Chief Inspector Erastus Ikuyu the suspects allegedly created fake Pay As You Earn (PAYE5) certificates using the names of 21 accomplices (friends and relatives) and processed them.
“This resulted in numerous undeserved tax refunds which were detected by the ministry's Security and Risk Management team. Forensic experts conducted an internal investigation and then handed the case over to the police.
“We arrested a taxation officer at the ministry, a cleaner and four accomplices in Walvis Bay. The main suspect, who is a senior taxation officer, is still on the run but it is only a matter of time before we locate her. More arrests are expected,” Ikuyu said.