D&M Rail boss granted N$15 000 bail
News - National | 2021-01-13
DAVID 'Dawie' Moller and his co-accused in a money-laundering case were yesterday granted bail in the amount of N$15 000.
Magistrate Eden Iyambo also postponed the managing director of
D&M Rail Construction and his co-accused's case to 28 April in the Gobabis
Regional Court.
The railway company is co-owned by James Hatuikulipi, one of the accused in the
Fishrot corruption scandal.
Moller and Hendrick Rooi are accused of money laundering, the failure to
declare funds, being found in possession of unexplained funds, theft and the
possession of suspected stolen property.
Both Moller and Rooi were released on bail on condition that they hand their
passports over to the police and do not interfere with witnesses.
The state and defence lawyers agreed on the bail amount and conditions.
The accused were represented by Christian Nambahu, while Faith Nyaungwa
prosecuted.
Moller and Rooi were arrested and appeared in court on 5 January where their
case was initially set for 18 January.
Sources said Moller's arrest could be linked to Fishrot property transactions
by Hatuikulipi and former justice minister Sacky Shanghala, involving a farm in
the Omaheke region, among others.
It could, however, not be established whether Moller and Rooi's arrests were
linked to the Fishrot corruption case.
The railway construction company last Wednesday said their firm is not linked
to money-laundering charges against its managing director.
D&M Rail defended Moller, saying: “D&M Rail has always conducted its
business with honesty, credibility and professionalism under the leadership of
Mr Dawie Moller, and remain steadfast in our belief that he will be exonerated
of all charges – which to our understanding are not linked in any way to the
operations of the D&M Rail – against him in due course.”
Moller has been in charge of D&M Rail Construction, a politically connected
company, that has for years won questionable multimillion-dollar rail deals at
TransNamib and the Ministry of Works and Transport, including a controversial
state railway maintenance contract that cost taxpayers N$100 million a year.
Hatuikulipi is one of the alleged masterminds of the multibillion-dollar
Fishrot corruption scandal and is currently in custody awaiting trial with five
other accused, including former minister of fisheries and marine resources
Bernhard Esau, and ex-minister of justice Sacky Shanghala.
Moller last year insisted that his dealings with Hatuikulipi were clean.
The two have been business partners for years.
Read More: D&M Rail boss granted N$15 000 bail - The NamibianD&M Rail boss granted N$15 000 bail - The Namibian