Windhoek: High Court Judges Naomi Shivute and Dinah Usiku have dismissed an application by the State to appeal the N.dollars 200,000 bail granted to Cedric Willemse, a suspect in the Namcor corruption scandal.

According to Namibia Press Agency, the judges ruled that the State failed to submit the necessary documents within the required timeframe. Willemse was initially granted bail by Windhoek Magistrate Olga Muharukua in October last year, under conditions that included daily police reporting and restrictions on leaving the Windhoek district without approval. Magistrate Muharukua determined that Willemse posed no threat to ongoing police investigations.

Willemse, arrested alongside former Namcor managing director Immanuel Mulunga and several others, faces allegations of defrauding Namcor of over N.dollars 400 million. The charges against him and his co-accused include fraud, money laundering, racketeering, and gratification. Willemse, who served as the logistics head at Namcor, faces 10 individual charges for allegedly receiving corrupt payments totaling over N.dollars 8 million. He has declared his intention to plead not guilty during the trial.

Prosecutor Basson Lilungwe explained to Judges Shivute and Usiku that the delay in filing the State's arguments was due to his involvement in another appeal concerning other suspects in the case. These suspects, including Jennifer Hamukwaya and others, are challenging the magistrate's decision to deny them bail, with a ruling expected in March.

Willemse is represented by defense lawyer Boris Isaacks.