Staff Reporter<\/p>\n\n\n\n
THE Meat Corporation of Namibia (Meatco) has accused its former Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Patrick Liebenberg, of delaying a civil lawsuit in which it is demanding that Liebenberg pay back an amount of N$7.5 million, which it claims Liebenberg misappropriated via fictitious cattle sales and other dubious transactions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In an answering affidavit, Albertus Aochamub opposed an irregular exception application in which Liebenberg claims that the particulars of claim documents filed against him by Meatco are defective and vague and stand to be thrown out. The lawyer representing Meatco, Norman Tjombe, has, however, argued that this irregular exception application was filed late and, as such, Meatco would oppose the application.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In June 2026, Meatco increased its monetary claims against Liebenberg from N$6.1 million to N$7.5 million after alleging that Liebenberg misappropriated company funds between 2024 and 2025 through various livestock procurement transactions. He is also accused of fraud, forgery and sabotage linked to 900 missing cattle at the parastatal through Linden Beef Feedlot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In his irregular exception application, Liebenberg claims that Meatco\u2019s claim remains vague and embarrassing, arguing that while it alleges that he misappropriated or stole amounts of N$2.5 million and N$1.11 million respectively by “not returning” such funds, Meatco fails to plead the material facts upon which these allegations are founded, including, inter alia, the source of the alleged funds; the dates or occasions upon which he allegedly received such funds; the transactions giving rise to the alleged obligation to return the funds; and the persons from whom the funds were allegedly received or on whose behalf they were allegedly held.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He further argued that Meatco fails to identify the express, implied or tacit contractual term he allegedly breached.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In response, the current CEO of Meatco, Albertus Aochamub, said that the irregular exception application by Liebenberg is a delay tactic and a waste of public funds, as Meatco has to foot the bill for the interlocutory applications brought by Liebenberg.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He added that Liebenberg did not object to the proposed amendments, although he could have done so until 10 June 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Aochamub added that Liebenberg takes issue with Meatco\u2019s claims that he, on or about 28 February 2025, misappropriated or stole an amount of N$1.9 million by not returning the said funds and instead falsely recorded that he handed the funds to a Meatco employee, namely Ellis Mbuende.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Another claim he says Liebenberg takes issue with is the allegation that between January 2025 and 14 July 2025, he misappropriated or stole an amount of N$1,114,290.85 by not returning the funds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe defendant\u2019s (Liebenberg\u2019s) purported concerns are that the pleadings in the above-referenced paragraphs do not allege the source of the funds so misappropriated or stolen, and thus render the pleadings vague or embarrassing. Not so\u2026 it is clear that the funds belong to (Meatco), otherwise Meatco would not have instituted legal proceedings against the defendant,\u201d Aochamub argued.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He added that Meatco has also clearly outlined the dates on which it alleges the funds were misappropriated and, as such, its claims are not vague.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Aochamub further stated that Liebenberg\u2019s complaints that Meatco failed to state the factual basis upon which Liebenberg failed to return the allegedly stolen funds are without merit, as this is a matter of evidence that must be adduced by witnesses testifying at the trial.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe defendant is expecting the plaintiff to plead evidence,\u201d he argued.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He concluded that Meatco is a public enterprise required to manage its resources responsibly and in the public interest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt cannot litigate without an end, and it (and any litigant) should not litigate frivolous interlocutory applications. That is not good use of the court’s scarce resources, and certainly not good for the plaintiff\u2019s use of public money,\u201d Aochamub argued.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Photos: File<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Staff Reporter THE Meat Corporation of Namibia (Meatco) has accused its former Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Patrick Liebenberg, of delaying a civil lawsuit in which it is demanding that Liebenberg pay back an amount of N$7.5 million, which it claims Liebenberg misappropriated via fictitious cattle sales and other dubious transactions. In an answering affidavit, Albertus …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":398875,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27,24],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-398874","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-business","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n