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July 03 2020 06:49:10 Evidence Doubted in Arms Hearing [Die Burger, 2001-08-31]
Issued: Date: 2001-08-31
Reporter: Neels Jackson
Editor: Evidence Doubted in Arms Hearing
Pretoria - The testimony of Dr Richard Young on the investigation of the government's R43 billion armaments transaction has been described yesterday by a high-ranking naval officer as "nothing more than an attempt to derive commercial advantage".
Young, director of the Cape Town Company CCII, testified on Tuesday and Wednesday that he was unlawfully disadvantaged when his company did not receive the contract to supply data busses for the navy's four corvettes.
Rear Adm (Jnr Grade) Jonny Kamerman, Director of Corvette Acquisition, started yesterday to contradict these claims with detailed evidence.
After he said a few times that Young did not understand or had ignored certain information, Adv. Selby Baqwa, Chairman of the Hearing Panel, asked him how this was possible as Young was such an intelligent man.
Kamerman said that he wanted for a moment to remove his naval officer's hat and then said that he did not believe a word of it (that Young did not understand the process).
Young merely wanted to obtain financial advantage from the process.
When he replaced his naval officer's hat, he said that he did not understand Young's actions.
In his evidence Kamerman indicated at length that the navy did not at any stage undertake to Young that CCII would receive the contract for the data busses.
He further indicated that Young made a bid for the contract at a stage whereat he now claims that he was already chosen by the navy as the preferred contractor.
Although several other companies were in the same position as Young, not one of them made the same claims or accusations because they understood that the navy made no undertaking towards them.
Young and his legal representative left the hearing before Kamerman started with his evidence because they could not be there today and therefore could not undertake the cross-examination.
Baqwa said via a spokesperson that this behaviour could be seen as cowardly.
Young delivered a long monologue, but the moment when there were strong arguments against him, he walked out.
Young had previous insight into Kamerman's evidence and knew what was coming, but was not prepared to refute it.
With acknowledgements to Neels Jackson and Die Burger.
Pretoria - Die getuienis van dr. Richard Young voor die ondersoek na die regering se R43miljard-wapentransaksie is gister deur 'n hoë vlootoffisier bestempel as ``niks meer as 'n poging om kommersiële voordeel te trek nie''.
Young, direkteur van die Kaapse onderneming CCII, het Dinsdag en Woensdag aangevoer hy is onregmatig benadeel toe sy onderneming nie die kontrak gekry het om databusse vir die vloot se vier korvette te verskaf nie.
Skout-adml. (jr. graad) Jonny Kamerman, direkteur van korvetverkryging, het gister met uitvoerige getuienis begin om dié aansprake te weerlê.
Nadat hy 'n paar keer gesê het dat Young sekere inligting nie verstaan het nie of ge¨gnoreer het, het adv. Selby Baqwa , voorsitter van die verhoorpaneel, hom gevra hoe dit moontlik is aangesien Young so 'n intelligente man is.
Kamerman het gesê hy wil vir 'n oomblik sy vlootoffisiershoed afhaal en toe gesê hy glo geen woord daarvan (dat Young die proses nie verstaan het nie). Young wou net finansiële voordeel uit die proses probeer maak. As hy sy vlootoffisiershoed terugplaas, verstaan hy nie Young se optrede nie.
In sy getuienis het Kamerman uitvoerig aangedui dat die vloot in geen stadium aan Young die onderneming gegee het dat CCII die kontrak vir die databusse sou kry nie. Hy het onder meer aangedui dat Young gebie het vir die kontrak in 'n stadium waarop hy nou beweer hy reeds deur die vloot as die gekose kontrakteer aangewys is.
Hoewel verskeie ander ondernemings in dieselfde posisie as Young s'n was, het nie een van hulle dieselfde aansprake of beskuldigings gemaak nie, omdat hulle verstaan het dat die vloot geen onderneming teenoor hulle gedoen het nie.
Young en sy regsverteenwoordiger het die verhoor verlaat voordat Kamerman met sy getuienis begin het, omdat hulle nie vandag daar kan wees nie en daarom nie kruisondervraging sal kan doen nie.
Baqwa het deur 'n woordvoerder gesê dié optrede kan gesien word as lafhartig.
Young het 'n lang monoloog gevoer, maar die oomblik toe daar sterk argumente teen hom kom, loop hy uit.
Young het vooraf insae in Kamerman se getuienis gehad en geweet wat kom, maar is nie bereid om dit te weerlê nie.
Met erkenning aan Neels Jackson en Die Burger.