SWAKOPMUND – The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has arrested the former mayor of Omaruru, Hendrina Gebhardt  marking it the third arrest in Erongo in less than a week.

Gebhardt, who is also the Swapo Party candidate for the Omaruru constituency in the upcoming regional elections, was taken into custody on Monday afternoon by ACC.

Her arrest stems from her time in office as the town mayor, as she is accused of abusing her office in 2012 to secure a municipal foreman position for her brother at the Omaruru town council.

The former mayor made her first appearance in the Omaruru Magistrate’s Court on Monday afternoon. 

State prosecutor Martin Hausiku told the court that while the charges are serious, the State would not oppose bail of N$10 000.  Gebhardt requested that the amount be reduced, citing that she is a single mother. Magistrate Taaundamuje Mukumbo granted her bail of N$8 000.

Her case has been transferred to the regional Court for 4 December 2025.

Earlier this week, the ACC also arrested former control inspector of the ministry of works in Swakopmund, Anthony Christopher Dreyer. Dreyer allegedly allocated government contract of N$84 132 to his own company, Camel Thorn Investment in 2020 without following procurement procedures.

“The work involved servicing firefighting equipment at the ministry of fisheries and marine resources,” ACC said in their statement.  He faces charges related to the procurement act and the Prevention of Organised Crime Act (POCA)

Dreyer was granted bail of N$20 000 and will make his second appearance on 25 February 2026 for plea and trial.

In a separate case, two senior officials from the directorate of education were also arrested over alleged corrupt practices linked to the admission of an administrative officer into a UNAM teacher training programme meant only for unqualified teachers.

The ACC alleges that the deputy director for programmes and quality assurance, Natalia Guriras, and administrative officer Betty Somses provided false information in 2018 to secure Somses’ placement in the diploma in junior primary education (DJPE INSET) programme. 

It is further alleged that the directorate falsely claimed Somses worked at a non-existent school in the region to meet the admission requirements.“Guriras was charged for corruptly using her office for gratification, while Somses was charged for providing false information to a public body,” the ACC stated.

Both were granted bail of N$10 000 each, and the matter was postponed to 24 August 2026 for plea and trial.

-edeklerk@nepc.com.na