The Windhoek High Court on Monday found Education, Art and Culture minister Katrina Hanse-Himarwa guilty of corruption, for corruptly using her former office for self-gratification.
Hanse-Himarwa has been on trial since October 2018.
She was accused of manipulating the government low-cost housing programme when she ordered that two beneficiaries are removed from the list and replace them with her relatives.
This transpired in 2014 in Mariental when she was still the Governor of Hardap region.
In her ruling, Judge Christie Liebenberg noted that there was overwhelming evidence presented during the trial that proved she used her governorship to manipulate the original list of the mass housing project.
Judge Liebenberg further concluded that the state proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt that Hanse-Himarwa was the one who ordered that the list be changed.
The mitigation hearing has been set for July 24.
Meanwhile, Hanse-Himarwa was not taken into custody, but released on warning, on the ground that she is the first-time offender, according to her defence.
Hanse-Himarwa, a strong ally of President Hage Geingob in the ruling SWAPO Party later told her supporters outside the court that despite her conviction, “it’s not over yet” adding that “Don’t cry or feel bad.”
She became the first Cabinet minister to be convicted of corruption.
AT/as/APA