Nuusita Ashipala
Ongwediva-Following the finalisation of its investigation, the Omusati Regional Council has recalled its chief regional officer Protasius Andowa who has been on suspension since last August.
It also reinstated its deputy director of finance Elizabeth Mutota, and New Era has it on good authority that the regional council sent them letters withdrawing their suspensions through their lawyers.
The two have been on suspension since August last year with full salary and benefits for alleged fraud, although the council maintained they were suspended to pave the way for an audit.
Almost a week after the two officials were exonerated and recalled they have not yet returned to work. The two were expected to have resumed work on May 22.
When contacted for comment Andowa said he had not received any letter, but acknowledged that he had heard of the reports saying the council had exonerated him.
“I also just heard about it, but I have not signed for any letter served to me. So I don’t know whether it is true or not, but you can contact the HR office because they should have brought me the letter to sign,” Andowa said.
Mutota said she had not heard anything about her return to work, nor did she ever receive any reinstatement letter.
Regarding whether she would return to her position once she received the letter Mutota said, “that is another issue to think about when I receive the letter”.
The chairperson of the Regional Council Modestus Amutse said he was not at liberty to discuss the issue with the media, nor the outcome of the council investigation.
He however, acknowledged that council had concluded its investigations, “but only the regional council is privy to the information thereof at the moment.”
He further said it was ethically wrong to publicise the outcome of the investigation without first discussing the matter with the people concerned.
“It is only right that we discuss the matter with the concerned parties. Maybe we will reveal it at a later stage,” Amutse said.