Ongwediva
A number of police officers operating at Okatope roadblock are accused of driving without a driver’s licence, but yet they demand a licence from and issue fines to road users that are passing through the roadblock.
A well-placed source told New Era that the use of public roads by unlicensed police officers is prevalent among police officers at Okatope, which have led to accidents.
New Era has a list of at least six police officers that allegedly drive on public roads without a driver’s licence.
Their cars include an Audi, a Ford Bantam, a Nissan 1300, a Toyota Double Cab and a Toyota Corolla, among others.
The latest incident involving one of these 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.
The Toyota pickup driven by the constable allegedly belonged to another constable, who allegedly also does not have a driver’s licence.
It is alleged a fellow police officer investigating the incident helped them to cover up the accident by not entering it into the accident report.
This is the second accident involving a police officer not having a driver’s licence, from Okatope.
These shocking revelations came just a few months after another police officer allegedly appeared in court for negligence and reckless driving and for driving without a driver’s licence.
He allegedly overturned and wrote off his car.
Acting Oshikoto Police Regional Commander Petrus Shigwedha, who was shocked by the allegations, said his office would immediately dispatch the commander of the Internal Investigation Division to Okatope.
“These are serious allegations. They have however not reached my office, but the law says we must be licensed drivers. Nobody is above the law, not even members of the law enforcement agencies,” said Shigwedha.
Shigwedha said action would be taken if the allegations are verified, however he did not specify what action would be taken.