Arrest of Namcor’s board chairperson could put company into disrepute: Alweendo

Minister of Mines and Energy, Tom Alweendo, said the recent arrest of the chairperson of the National Petroleum Corporation of Namibia (Namcor) Board is unfortunate and puts the State-owned company into disrepute.

Namcor’s chairperson, Jennifer Comalie, was arrested on Monday after cannabis, crack cocaine and cocaine were allegedly discovered in her vehicle shortly before a Namcor board meeting was due to take place.

Comalie was granted bail of N.dollars 7 000 on Tuesday by the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court.

In an interview with Nampa here on Wednesday, Alweendo said Namcor is one of the country’s most important State-owned companies, especially in view of the current oil discovery.

“You will definitely want to make sure that people want to look at us and say we know what we are doing… So this is very unfortunate. If we do not deal with it carefully it can also make us look like we are not prepared for what is coming in terms of our oil discoveries,” he said.

Alweendo noted that allegations that the arrest could be a set-up for Comalie should be pronounced by the police investigations through the courts.

It is alleged that on the day of the arrest, the Namcor board was set to discuss possible action against Managing Director, Immanuel Mulunga, who is accused of making an unauthorised N.dollars 100 million payment to an Angolan partner.

“Before one can make a pronouncement on what it is, let us allow police investigation to take place on how those drugs got into her car… and how people knew there were drugs,” he noted.

Alweendo also confirmed that a week before her arrest, Comalie requested an urgent meeting with him and the Minister of Finance and Public Enterprises, Ipumbu Shiimi, to discuss information about threats to her safety.

“I do not know whether the issue has to do with the alleged oil deals… I cannot say this is about the oil, let us wait until the police investigate and find out what this is really all about,” said Alweendo.

Soure: The Namibian Press Agency