Heidi Boois, a former Bank Windhoek employee, is facing charges linked to the alleged redirection of millions of NAMCOR funds to a fraudulently opened bank account.

According to the charge documents before the court, Boois is accused of abusing her position at Bank Windhoek to help open a business account for a company called Quality Meat Supplies CC without the knowledge or consent of its listed director.

Prosecutors allege that in 2022, Boois accepted identity documents belonging to a director of the business from fugitive Victor Malima and used them to open the account while falsely presenting that the said director was physically present at the bank. 

Investigators allege that once the account was operational, she channelled payments totalling about N$3.3 million into it.

The money allegedly originated from NAMCOR and was later transferred to accounts linked to individuals and entities connected to senior figures within the state-owned company. 

Among these was Panduleni Farming CC, a company owned by Panduleni Hamukwaya, the husband of NAMCOR’s then executive responsible for finance and administration. 

Funds were also allegedly paid into the account of former NAMCOR supply and logistics manager Cedric Willemse.

The State also alleges that Boois knowingly assisted in laundering money derived from unlawful activities by facilitating the account’s opening and enabling the movement of the funds.

In addition, she faces charges related to forgery, with prosecutors claiming she falsified signatures on bank documents and company records used to justify the opening of the account.

The fraud charge alleges that Bank Windhoek and NAMCOR were deliberately misled into believing that Quality Meat Supplies CC was legitimately registered and operating.

Lawyer Kadhila Amoomo is representing Boois and said his client was arrested under a defective arrest warrant; he said he would apply that the warrant be set aside and his client be released.

Amoomo said his client is also a caretaker of several dependents and is suffering from an acute medical condition and will therefore be seeking bail urgently.

Her matter is postponed to 6 February for fixing of bail dates.