Former minister accused of fraud at guest house

Previous minister of labour Marlene Mungunda has been accused of making use of the name of the Sam Nujoma Basis and her political status to guide lodging at a Windhoek guesthouse without the need of settling the invoice.

Mungunda allegedly approached the operator of Essence of Afrika Guesthouse in Hochlandpark, Martha Nambabi, on 1 June, to ebook accommodation for her visitor for more than 30 days.

The former minister knowledgeable Nambabi that the Sam Nujoma Foundation would shell out for the guest’s meals, drinks and accommodation considering the fact that he arrived to Windhoek to support with penning a biography on the late chief Hendrik Witbooi.

Nambabi said she accommodated the guest from 2 June to 9 July but has not received any payment from Mungunda or the Sam Nujoma Foundation, as promised. Mungunda mentioned the issue is with her lawyers even though the foundation denied understanding of the arrangement.

Nambabi added that during the guest’s keep at her establishment, they served him breakfast, lunch and supper for a thirty day period, like alcoholic beverages and non-alcoholic beverages, totalling N$22 584, including accommodation.

She suggests Mungunda gave her the impact that she was nevertheless a member of parliament when she to begin with built the booking.

“After introducing herself as a member of parliament, previous minister Mungunda educated me that she and her guest [name withheld] are performing on a job, on the request of the founding father, to compose the biography of the late Hendrik Witbooi,” she claimed.

She stated when she realised the payment was not designed following the visitor remaining, she wrote a letter to the chairperson of the Sam Nujoma Foundation, Nahas Angula, on 12 July, requesting her funds.

Nambabi shared text messages and screenshots of the discussions among herself and Mungunda with The Namibian.

In the text messages, Mungunda promised to make the payment in a week’s time.

On 6 July, Nambabi instructed Mungunda she would advise the Sam Nujoma Foundation what she experienced finished and open up a circumstance of theft towards her.

In a text message witnessed by The Namibian, Mungunda replied: “Go and do that. I am a lawmaker and you do not have a foot to stand on. I have paid out-up lawyers with Lawful Shield.”

Mungunda further educated Nambabi that they will meet up with in court docket.

In accordance to Nambabi, that was the past dialogue she had with Mungunda as she has been rejecting her cellphone phone calls due to the fact.

Contacted for comment yesterday, Mungunda claimed Nambabi is currently being “nasty”.

“Everything is with my legal professionals for the reason that this is a programme that we do with the founding father and the founding father has been booked off since there has not been any approval but,” she stated.

When questioned more by The Namibian, Mungunda claimed: “I will not entertain you, my law firm will [give] my facet of the story.” Angula, who confirmed receiving Nambabi’s letter of complaint, stated the foundation was not knowledgeable about generating any payment.

He stated it is unlucky that Mungunda used other people’s services hoping that the basis would spend.

“She was meant to consult the foundation to ask if we can pay back or not. That is really unfortunate due to the fact the basis will work on a budget,” he added.

In the letter replying to Nambabi’s grievance, Angula reported: “Even however I am most anxious at the inconvenience and the decline that you endured owing to the unpaid bill, I want to emphatically position out that the board has under no circumstances taken any resolution to expend the assets of the basis on the aforementioned venture nor has it consented to cover the value for lodging and meals incurred by [name of guest], or the instruction of Hon. Mungunda.”

Angula included: “To this stop, I regret to notify you that the board can not, below any circumstance, pay out for the excellent bill as you have dedicated ourselves to deliver providers with out because of diligence by way of supporting files these types of as a letter of approval, buy purchase or allow on your own generating a cellphone call to confirm if there is this sort of an agreement with the basis to include the charge.”

He advised the homeowners of Essence of Africa Guesthouse to search for alternative avenues to get better the price tag incurred.