The City of Windhoek has suspended its information and communication technology strategic executive following bribery allegations. Acting CEO O’Brien Hekandjo yesterday indefinitely suspended Reckliff Kandjiriomuini following allegations that he offered a N$5 million bribe to a city councillor to support the 5G project. Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP) City of Windhoek councillor Brunhilde Cornelius claimed in a report by Al Jazeera last month that she was offered money by a fellow RDP member Nicanor Ndjoze to drop objections against the tentative 5G deal in which the City wants
to install an internet network, in the process implicating Kandjiriomuini. Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) director general Paulus Noa yesterday told New Era that the commission is busy with investigations and is currently engaging a sworn interpreter to translate the recordings that were sent to them by the police.
“The allegations and motives appear sketchy. The complainant who is a councillor and is fiercely opposed to a memorandum of understanding between City of Windhoek and Huawei Chinese Telecom, is also implicated in allegations of corruption involving a competing company,” Noa said. Therefore, he said, the anti-graft body has decided to broaden the investigations to include all allegations.
“Depending on our findings, we may recommend all suspects, including her, to be prosecuted on corruption charges. It entirely depends on evidence,” he said. According to the Qatari state-owned broadcaster, Cornelius claimed in an affidavit on 19 June that she was allegedly offered between N$5 and N$6 million by Kandjiriomuini to allegedly stop resisting the signing of the agreement between Huawei and the municipality.
Cornelius claimed the money was offered to her through Ndjoze who is apparently an acquaintance of Kandjiriomuini.
If successful, the agreement will allow Huawei to win an exclusive contract to build the 5G-telecommunication network in the capital.
“He indicated that there is in excess of N$40 million that can be shared between various persons. He indicated that various councillors, ministers were involved or had an interest in this contract,” Cornelius claimed in the affidavit. According to Cornelius, Ndjoze made it clear to her that he was allegedly working on behalf of Kandjiriomuini.
–ktjitemisa@nepc.com.na