BUKALO – A financial scandal has erupted at the Bukalo Village Council, where more than N$470 000 meant for the Build-Together housing programme has allegedly been stolen.
Three individuals — two former and one current staff member, are suspected to be at the centre of the theft. A criminal case was reported to the Namibian Police at Katima Mulilo on Friday.
This follows a directive from Urban and Rural Development minister James Sankwasa for the village council to take legal action against those implicated.
The council’s chief executive officer, Anna Sazita, confirmed the case: “Yes, we opened a case of fraud and theft with the Katima Mulilo police.” The allegations stem from a series of unauthorised cash withdrawals between January 2021 and June 2023 from the council’s Build-Together Programme account at First National Bank (FNB) in Katima Mulilo. Council documents show that these withdrawals, amounting to over N$470 000, were carried out without proper authorization or supporting documents.
According to the CEO, a verification process with the bank revealed that the withdrawals were made using withdrawal slips without any attached approval letters from the council. The investigation team also found no records of building materials procured for the housing project or proof of distribution to beneficiaries.
In response to these revelations, Sazita in 2024 initiated a special audit of the funds transferred by the ministry for the Build-Together Housing Programme.
The two former employees involved have argued that their actions were in line with standard procedures.
They claim that as signatories to the account, they withdrew funds to pay suppliers upon instructions from the CEO. They further accused Sazita of tarnishing their reputation by implicating them in financial misconduct without sufficient evidence. “The damage you and the council have caused to our reputation is unexplained. Our families, friends and associates now view us as corrupt individuals who stole public funds,” the duo wrote in a letter to the CEO, demanding a public apology to restore their reputation.
The CEO has rejected the demand for an apology, maintaining that she was fulfilling her duty as the council’s accounting officer.
“Why should I apologise for doing my job as an accounting officer? Should I apologise for conducting a special audit? I don’t think so,” Sazita asserted. The unfolding saga has left the Bukalo community divided, with some supporting the CEO’s quest for accountability, while others argue that the accused employees are being unfairly targeted.