74 active corruption cases in Erongo
Bribes and procurement fraud at top
There are currently 74 active corruption cases in Erongo, of which most involve bribery and procurement fraud.
There are currently 74 active corruption cases in Erongo – most of which involve bribery and procurement (or tender) fraud.
The active matters are at various stages of investigation by the Anti-Corruption Commission of Namibia (ACC) with many of them already being tried in court.
ACC Erongo investigator Felistas Kavara-Nghwada, recently told media that, since the establishment of the region’s office – headquartered in Swakopmund – in 2012, there were 315 cases registered. Most of them have been solved.
Of the 74 cases, 10 are also pending a decision by the prosecutor-general as to whether more investigations are required, or whether those involved can be arrested and readied for trial.
Since last year, two successful sting operations have taken place, 16 investigations concluded, and four convictions secured. The convictions include a Pakistani last month sentenced to 20 months for bribing a public prosecutor to sabotage a human trafficking and rape matter (that involved a minor) and give him back his passport. He and his fellow accused in the rape case, were subsequently sentenced to 20 years each.
Another successful conviction due to an ACC investigation was the sentencing of two former immigration officials that were convicted to five years and six years imprisonment for illegally endorsing work permits in the passports of eight South Africans. In another matter, a Walvis Bay municipal employee was sentenced to a fine for soliciting a bribe from a public member.
A ||Kharas Regional Council employee was also convicted of misusing her office, soliciting funds from Namibia Institute for Mining and Technology students living in Arandis (hence falling under the jurisdiction of ACC Erongo).
Other major cases currently being investigated includes alleged corruption and lack of transparency in the mass urban land servicing project at Walvis Bay municipality, in which N$24 million is unaccounted for. According to Kavara-Nghwada, the matter is at an advanced stage and the files confiscated from the municipality are still in the possession of the ACC.
There is also the alleged corruption involving N$36 million government grant extended to schools in the Erongo region for the development of infrastructure to enhance the safety of pupils during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“It is a very complex matter but it is at an advanced stage. It involves all the schools in the region,” said ACC Erongo investigator Steven Kativa.
The three investigators and a police officer that man the region’s ACC office are facing limitations because of funds, and yet the region has the second most workload after Khomas.
“It is not just international investigations that suffer because of lack of funds, but small local investigations too. We have to travel to the different towns, but there is no travel allowance. We have to sit tight until the next financial year. It reaches a point in a year where you can’t do any outside work. Our investigations are not just in Swakop, it’s across the region,” lamented Kavara-Nghwada.
The active matters are at various stages of investigation by the Anti-Corruption Commission of Namibia (ACC) with many of them already being tried in court.
ACC Erongo investigator Felistas Kavara-Nghwada, recently told media that, since the establishment of the region’s office – headquartered in Swakopmund – in 2012, there were 315 cases registered. Most of them have been solved.
Of the 74 cases, 10 are also pending a decision by the prosecutor-general as to whether more investigations are required, or whether those involved can be arrested and readied for trial.
Since last year, two successful sting operations have taken place, 16 investigations concluded, and four convictions secured. The convictions include a Pakistani last month sentenced to 20 months for bribing a public prosecutor to sabotage a human trafficking and rape matter (that involved a minor) and give him back his passport. He and his fellow accused in the rape case, were subsequently sentenced to 20 years each.
Another successful conviction due to an ACC investigation was the sentencing of two former immigration officials that were convicted to five years and six years imprisonment for illegally endorsing work permits in the passports of eight South Africans. In another matter, a Walvis Bay municipal employee was sentenced to a fine for soliciting a bribe from a public member.
A ||Kharas Regional Council employee was also convicted of misusing her office, soliciting funds from Namibia Institute for Mining and Technology students living in Arandis (hence falling under the jurisdiction of ACC Erongo).
Other major cases currently being investigated includes alleged corruption and lack of transparency in the mass urban land servicing project at Walvis Bay municipality, in which N$24 million is unaccounted for. According to Kavara-Nghwada, the matter is at an advanced stage and the files confiscated from the municipality are still in the possession of the ACC.
There is also the alleged corruption involving N$36 million government grant extended to schools in the Erongo region for the development of infrastructure to enhance the safety of pupils during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“It is a very complex matter but it is at an advanced stage. It involves all the schools in the region,” said ACC Erongo investigator Steven Kativa.
The three investigators and a police officer that man the region’s ACC office are facing limitations because of funds, and yet the region has the second most workload after Khomas.
“It is not just international investigations that suffer because of lack of funds, but small local investigations too. We have to travel to the different towns, but there is no travel allowance. We have to sit tight until the next financial year. It reaches a point in a year where you can’t do any outside work. Our investigations are not just in Swakop, it’s across the region,” lamented Kavara-Nghwada.
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