Katrina Hanse-Himarwa has resigned

ACCORDING to the New Era Newspaper, online reporting, The Education minister Katrina Hanse-Himarwa has resigned from her ministerial post with immediate effect, following her conviction for corruption in the High Court yesterday. "This has been an incredibly difficult and emotional period for my family and I," she said. President Geingob has accepted the resignation of education minister Katrina Hanse-Himarwa, saying in a statement that "she accepted to live up to her responsibility by respecting the rule of law and the institutions of the Republic of Namibia."

The Windhoek High Court has found education minister Katrina Hanse-Himarwa guilty on 8 July 2019, of corruption - for having used her office, then Hardap governor, for self-gratification. She removed beneficiaries of mass housing from a list and replaced them with her relatives. Judge Liebenberg found that Hanse-Himarwa told “a blatant lie” when she denied having been present at the meeting where she was alleged to have given the instructions to have the list of housing beneficiaries changed, and concluded that the evidence she gave during the trial on that issue had been false beyond a reasonable doubt.

Briefly addressing media reporters after she had been pronounced guilty, Hanse-Himarwa acknowledged that the verdict could be expected to have an impact on her political career.

She remains free on a warning from the court.

Hanse-Himarwa's warning has been extended, meaning she does not have to be taken into custody pending her sentencing. The matter is postponed to 24, 25 and 26 July for pre-sentencing procedures.

Source: The Namibian Newspaper

Source: New Era Newspaper