By: Justicia Shipena
The disgraced youth activist Lebbeus Nghidimondjila Hashikutuva’s case of theft under false pretences has been withdrawn on an out of court agreement, Windhoek City police Sally Kapolo has confirmed.
The case had been opened against Hashikutuva by co-owners of Afterbreak magazine, Rejoice Amutenya and Mehafo Amunyela, for the alleged embezzlement of N$40 000.
Amunyela confirmed the case but could not provide further details, stating, “we will give an official statement tomorrow”.
Hashikutuva was taken into police custody on Thursday morning to question the alleged embezzlement of N$40 000 belonging to the youth magazine Afterbreak.
Khomas regional commander Ishmael Basson, on Wednesday, confirmed the case had been opened in September.
According to a statement released by Amutenya and Amunyela, Hashikutuva assisted the magazine when a company contacted them to team up on youthful content last year.
According to the two magazine co-owners, Amutenya gave Hashikutuva permission into three contractual agreements with the company.
It is further believed that the company made final payments for two contracts to the magazine in mid-April.
In the same month, Hashikutuva acknowledged that N$10 000 was paid into his account.
Hashikutuva then suggested for the team to register Afterbreak but was not willing to speak of the date.
Less than a month later, Hashikutuva told the co-owners that he had lost his phone as well as his bank card and identification documents.
Furthermore, he later told the team he tested positive for COVID-19 and lost his phone again.
In June this year, the magazine received another payment for the final contract.
The co-owners say after two weeks, Hashikutuva told them he got his passport but failed to get funds from his account.
“He claimed he had asked for a bank statement and saw almost all the money coming into his account was being deducted. He then told us that the bursary he was awarded back in 2017 was taking back their money as he had dropped out of school,” said the co-owners.
At that time, Hashikutuva told them he was pursuing legal action and assured him he would pay Afterbreak back by the end of July this year.
According to the statement, Hashikutuva made excuses and had not made progress in paying the N$40 000 to the magazine for nearly six months.
This comes as earlier this week, according to Ndiilo Nthengwe from the ShutItAllDown movement, Hashikutuva, on Tuesday 12 October, also paid back U$5 000 that he had allegedly received and not accounted for.
The money, allegedly paid into his account, was awarded to the #ShutItAllDown movement through the African Union Youth Envoy.
