The distribution of much-needed drought relief food to the most hard-hit communities in the Otjozondjupa region was recently disrupted after officials were caught red-handed with stolen consignments of drought aid.
The value of the stolen consignments is yet to be made public as police investigations are underway.
However, Otavi constituency councillor George !Garab yesterday confirmed to this publication that the officials who were entrusted with the distribution of the drought aid were arrested for theft and some are currently out on bail.
“The matter is now with the police and the courts, but I can confirm that those officials were caught red-handed while transporting the stolen drought food items. The incident happened about two weeks ago. We are waiting on the police and the court to do their work, but internal control and audit measures will also be taken from our side to curb such incidents,” said Garab.
Meanwhile, according to NBC News, two of the suspects include a warehouse supervisor, Kavenandangi Ndjoze and the chief administrative officer, Dickson Kahuva, who are responsible for the drought relief programme in the region.
They were reportedly apprehended after a man was caught at a roadblock near Otavi with food allegedly stolen from the regional drought relief warehouse, which is administered from Otjiwarongo but is based in Otavi.
“This is food meant for the most vulnerable and drought-stricken members of our community, and for anyone to think you will just steal it is a big mistake. The law will deal with you. People in our informal settlements are in a dire food situation, and they need this food. We cannot afford to lose even one bag of maize meal to theft; it should not be allowed,” cautioned Garab.
Rampant theft
Early this year, police in the Kavango East region arrested a 48-year-old man for alleged possession of maize meal and cooking oil suspected to have been stolen from the government’s drought relief programme.
The police found the suspect selling 247 bags of maize meal (10 kg each) and 47 bottles of cooking oil (750 ml) at Shimpanda village in the Kavango East region. The items valued at N$34 150 were recovered.
Also, late last year, the Office of the Prime Minister took a swipe at individuals who were suspected of having stolen drought relief food worth N$100 000 at a farm near Oshivelo, while other similar cases were also reported in the Ohangwena region, where the disaster risk management unit lost more than N$600 000 worth of cooking oil and other items from its warehouse due to theft.
During the same period, drought relief food worth N$39 000 was allegedly stolen from a warehouse at Katwitwi in the Kavango West region.