WINDHOEK: Minister of Health and Social Services, Kalumbi Shangula has been pardoned as a witness in a defamation matter involving prominent businessman Shapwa Kanyama.
Kanyama and his wife, Beata Kanyama, are suing a northern-based former nurse, Mathilde Kadhikwa, after she allegedly insinuated that the couple funded their multimillion-dollar wedding with public funds in May 2022. Kanyama also claims Kadhikwa insinuated he committed crimes and that he is unlawfully pocketing government money.
Kadhikwa reportedly made the insinuations in a WhatsApp audio that was since shared on Facebook and Instagram.
Appearing before Judge Beatrix de Jager on Tuesday, Shangula was informed that he is no longer needed as a witness in the matter. He and the health ministry’s Executive Director, Ben Nangombe, were initially subpoenaed and ordered to testify in Kadhikwa’s defense, in connection with procurement contracts between the ministry and companies belonging to Kanyama.
The couple is demanding payment amounting to N.
dollars 200 000 each from Kadhikwa. They are further demanding a retraction and an apology from her. Kanyama said in court papers that he makes a living through farming, supplying medical equipment and consumables, and pharmaceutical products such as medicines to the private sector and the Namibian government.
According to him, he has been supplying such pharmaceutical products through public procurement tenders since 2016, through a pharmaceutical factory he owns.
He further confirmed that their wedding cost them about N.dollars 10 million.
Nangombe has since been ordered to appear in court on Wednesday morning for the commencement of trial.
The ministry is represented by the Attorney General’s Office. Kadhikwa’s lawyer, Henry Shimutwikeni has since indicated that the necessary documents relating to procurement contracts from the ministry will be provided and filed by Wednesday, in time for the trial.
‘After deliberations with the witnesses’ representatives, we have decided it is not necessary to call t
he minister as a witness but we will confine our case to the Executive Director. The ministry has also indicated that they will inquire with procurement to get the documents we require. We will also provide the plaintiff with the documents on which the Executive Director is going to testify,’ Shimutwikeni said.
Kadhikwa has since argued that the comments she made were fair and in the interest of the public.
‘The content of the statement was a fair criticism of the government’s procurement policies and public expenditure,’ she said in court documents.
Kanyama and his wife are represented by Advocate Raymond Heathcote on instructions of Sisa Namandje.
Source: The Namibia Press Agency