OSHIVELO – Incidences of docket theft are rife at Oshivelo police station due to the lack of office space, where such confidential and crucial files could be safely kept. 
Officers employed at the station revealed this yesterday when they briefed the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Audit, although it was not stated how many such criminal cases were reported. 

The law enforcement officers claimed some colleagues are bribed to make dockets disappear to conceal evidence. 
This, they said, is possible, as such privy information is kept in the open without secure controls, as investigators share an office space. “In this case, you will find that investigators are sharing an office, where dockets are kept in the open. As such, there are incidences in which dockets go missing after an officer is bribed,” said a police officer while briefing the parliamentary committee.

“This is easy because such information is not secured. If we had enough office space for each or be provided with lockable cabins, such can be avoided. As it stands, some can be tempted to destroy evidence when approached.”
In addition, the lack of accommodation and a dilapidated facility were specified as an issue of concern, which includes a crumbling ceiling of the station’s charge office and that of the staff housing. As such, one house is left abandoned due to safety concerns. It was, therefore, suggested the available facilities need to be revamped. 

The station is also understaffed, as only 56 members are posted, as opposed to a fully operational capacity of 134 officers.
This gap has led to a huge workload and it also affects successfully effecting policing matters. 
The committee has been making regional visits to scrutinise and assess the progress done by other standing committees.
During the visit, a VVIP lane and scanners were also proposed by the police officers to avoid altercations and reduce the long queues experienced at the busy checkpoint. 

“We further propose that more lights should be installed at the checkpoint as well as a boom barricade for the safety of officials stationed there,” they added.

Committee chairperson Lebbius Tobias castigated government officials for failing in their duties to address some of these minor issues even though they do not require a huge budget to resolve. 

“Some of these basic things should be provided already by government representatives in various ministries mandated to do so, but you find that such things are not provided for. For instance, here, at the checkpoint, they do not have gloves and hand sanitisers, yet there is someone responsible for that and is failing in their duties,” stressed Tobias.
He said such grievances will be referred to the highest offices for possible action while expressing satisfaction with some regions, particularly Kavango West, which he said have already started acting and addressing some of the shortcomings that were observed.
– osimasiku@nepc.com.na