WINDHOEK – The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) announced it has completed its probe at the Ministry of Education involving the N$1.8 million fraud where officials are believed to have embezzled public funds.
The investigation involved some officials at the ministry and representatives of private companies for claiming payments and processing such payments for the delivery of services to the ministry, while such services were in fact never delivered. The companies involved include Commune Catering cc, Globiz Investments (Pty) Ltd, Independence Stationery, Ipuma Catering and Pelvis Stationery. The alleged scam in the ministry exceeded N$1.8 million. ACC agents arrested a former clerk at the ministry, 34-year-old Elifas Shatipamba Amakali and Asser Shaanika Uulenga aged 39, who is a driver at the NBC and is also a representative of Globiz Investments and Pelvis Stationery on June 25 and 26, 2012 respectively. Following the completion of the investigation, the case file was forwarded to the Prosecutor General who decided to arraign Amakali, another clerk at the ministry, Metra Singeza Masule (30), Asser Shaanika Uulenga and Bethuel Iittula Uulenga (representative of Globiz) in the regional court on 85 counts of fraud, corruption, theft and attempted theft.
Masule was arrested on January 23 this year and he appeared in court on January 24 along with Amakali and Asser Uulenga. The case was remanded to February 12, 2014 in the regional court for the fixing of a trial date. To date 34-year-old Bethuel Uulenga has not been arrested and the ACC is requesting him or anyone who knows his current whereabouts to contact the agency. According to the indictment the accused in their capacities as representatives of the companies involved are guilty of fraud, alternatively corruptly using a false document by an agent, theft and attempted theft in that they submitted bogus claims for services rendered since 2008.
In an unrelated story, boxer Wilberforce Shihepo made a first appearance in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court on charges of alleged fraud and corruption. He was not asked to plead and was represented by Khadila Amoomo from the stable of the law firm owned by Sisa Namandje. Prosecutor Henry Muhongo asked Magistrate Ruth Herunga to postpone the matter to March 25 this year. Shihepo was granted bail of N$3 000 with strict conditions attached. One of the conditions is that he must not interfere with witnesses and that he must inform ACC investigator Esterhuizen if he wishes to leave the country. According to ACC Director Paulus Noa, Shihepo was caught almost re-handed when he filled up his private vehicle with a government petrol card. He said ACC investigators were almost immediately on the scene when they were tipped off. According to Noa petrol card fraud is rife and Shihepo’s case is an isolated one, but warned that they are hot on the heels of perpetrators of such offences. He said in most cases it is the fault of supervisors who do not do their jobs. Noa is of the opinion that supervisors do not enforce strict control over the petrol cards.
By Roland Routh