Ongwediva
The police leadership in Oshikoto has issued a warning to a number of police officers stationed at the Okatope roadblock for driving on national roads without a driver’s licence.
This came after New Era’s revelation that some police officers at the Oshikoto roadblock demand to see a driver’s licence from drivers and fine them if they are found to be illegal drivers, but yet they are guilty of the same crime.
It was also reported that unlicensed police officers were involved in car accidents with other road users but the investigating officers swept the cases under the carpet by not entering the cases in the accident report book.
One female officer went even further and negotiated a ‘gentlemen’s agreement’ between her colleague and the other driver.
According to the Oshikoto Acting Regional Commander Petrus Shigwedha, in the latter case a docket of negligent and reckless driving has since been opened and the docket will be forwarded to the office of the prosecutor general for a decision.
“At the moment we are taking statements from witnesses, but I understand the driver of the other vehicle stays in Ongwediva. Once we get hold of him, everything will be forwarded to the PG for a decision,” he explained.
Shigwedha also said an internal investigation has been launched and action will be taken accordingly if the investigating officer is found guilty of negligence in her duties.
“But all in all, we have notified our station commanders to seriously warn those that are currently driving without a driver’s licence. How can we punish the public when we have our own members breaking the law?
“I have said it earlier, nobody is above the law and if a police officer is caught for a similar offence, he/she will be dealt with accordingly,” said Shigwedha.
A police official earlier told New Era that at least six police officers at Okatope go to work with their personal vehicles but actually drive illegally on public roads.
The list of unlicensed drivers’ cars parked everyday at the roadblock include an Audi, a Ford Bantam, a Nissan 1300, a Toyota Double Cab and a Toyota Corolla.
The latest incident involving one of the officers allegedly took place near the roadblock, where a Double Cab Toyota pickup driven by a certain unlicensed constable crashed into an oncoming Toyota Tiida.
A case was only opened after New Era wrote the story last week.