WINDHOEK - A detective sergeant of the Namibian Police was sentenced to two years imprisonment on a charge of corruptly using his position for gratification after he was paid money to get rid of a docket he was investigating.

Detective sergeant Immanuel Shitaleni was paid N$5 000 in exchange to get rid of a fraud docket involving an amount of N$361 243.58 he was assigned as an investigating officer.

In a statement, Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) spokesperson Josefina Nghituwamata said Shitaleni was arrested on February 13, 2017 in Walvis Bay during a sting operation conducted by ACC officials. Shitaleni appeared at the town’s magistrate’s court on February 14, 2017. “He was charged with corruptly soliciting and agreeing to accept a gratification in the amount of N$5 000 in exchange to get rid of a docket for which he was assigned as an investigating officer,” stated Nghituwamata. 

She added that about 12 police officers have been convicted for corruption related offences in the past 11 years, with sentences ranging from paying fines, suspended sentences and imprisonments.

In addition, ACC arrested an administrative officer at Walvis Bay Traffic Department on September 30, after he asked a bribe of N$1 500 from a member of public whose vehicle was involved in an accident to avoid disqualification of his licence disc. The suspect is 42-year-old Andreas Eichab. According to Nghituwamata, the licence disc was removed from public member’s vehicle by the traffic officer who attended the accident scene. “The two then agreed to an amount of N$1 500. By law if the vehicle is fixed within 14 days, the licence disc can be released by paying an amount of N$30.00,” stated Nghituwamata.

Nghituwamata further said Eichab appeared in the Walvis Bay Magistrate’s Court on October 1 and was granted bail of N$5 000. Eichab’s case was postponed to November 4, 2019 for further investigation. Eichab was charged with contravening section 33(a) and (b) of ACC Act, Act no 8 of 2003 (offense of corruptly soliciting gratification).