By Mbatjiua Ngavirue WINDHOEK A Ministry of Lands official in the Omaheke Region, Erastus Nghishoono, once again seems to have landed himself in hot water after the discovery of stolen corrugated zinc sheets and farm gates on his farm. Nghishoono himself acknowledges that the zinc sheets and farm gates are stolen property, but denies he was the one who stole the items. He seemed unaware that possession of stolen goods is in itself a criminal offence. Nghishoono’s nephew and employee, Matheus, as well as his niece, Elena, who runs his shebeen on the farm, pointed out the stolen goods stored in the garage. According to Elena, the corrugated zinc and gates were brought to Nghishoono’s farm Schellenberg by Kaitjombiri Katjirua in the dead of night. Katjirua, the husband of the clerk in Nghishoono’s office, Kakueenaa Uanivi, allegedly arrived at the farm around midnight in a pickup truck loaded with zinc and farm gates. Elena even wrote down the registration number of the vehicle that brought the materials, which she gave as N2236GO. “I am not going to keep these things at my place any longer. It is Nghishoono who stole the things, so they must be kept at his place,” they both allege Katjirua told them. When Elena and Matheus told the story of what happened that night, Ben Aluendo and Joseph Enkali, as well as a younger brother Simon Atobita were also present. The two elder brothers are currently embroiled in a dispute with Erastus Nghishoono over their occupancy on the farm, while younger brother Simon has brought a labour case against Nghishoono. Nghishoono’s niece was initially very forthcoming with information, voluntarily offering the registration number of the vehicle that brought the materials. Her mood however suddenly changed when she realised members of the media were present, and she rapidly walked away from the scene. She then started wailing curses at the top of her voice, that could be heard at least half a kilometre away. “This is Nghishoono’s farm – not the Government’s. You Shinime, and Joseph, are going to get nothing. You will both get zero,” she was heard shouting from a distance. Not long after observers saw Nghishoono speeding towards his farm in a small government sedan car on a gravel road – probably after Elena alerted him to the presence of visitors on the farm. The next morning the New Era reporter had a slightly bizarre encounter with Erastus Nghishoono in the car park outside Shoprite in Gobabis. The reporter climbed out of his vehicle only to be confronted with the spectacle of Nghishoono photographing him. For what purpose the photographs are intended is not clear. In a very reasonable tone, he then tried to explain that all the various allegations made against him were a conspiracy to ruin his career. He made vague allusion to political rivalries in the region and objections to an Oshiwambo-speaking person holding his job in the region, objections which according to him are based on tribalism. It was during this encounter that Nghishoono tried to explain that he was not the person who stole the corrugated zinc and farm gates. He conceded that the materials were indeed stolen but that he was not the person who stole them. Approached for comment yesterday, Kaitjombiri Katjirua firstly denied the zinc sheets and farm gates were stolen. He further denied that he is the owner of the pickup N2236GO, saying that his vehicle has the registration N585GO. Katjirua however admits that he removed the materials from the government farm Anaeibs and transported them to Nghishoono’s farm Schellenberg 79. He however says he took the materials there with the intention of asking Nghishoono whether he could have the materials. Nghishoono allegedly then told him that he must first wait, because he had to find out whether the San workers of the former owner being resettled on the farm needed the materials. It is perhaps open to debate whether removing government property from a government farm without authorisation is theft or not. Katjirua could further not explain why he did not wait for permission first before taking the zinc and gates. The matter is of special interest because another government farm under Nghishoono’s supervision, Tredgold, has been stripped entirely naked. The water tank, nearly all the farm gates, part of the zinc sheets of the garage, built-in cupboards and other items have vanished into thin air. Contrary to earlier reports, it now appears that Kakueenaa Uanivi and Erastus Nghishoono are the only two officials at the Ministry of Land’s office in Omaheke that have been resettled.