Obrein Simasiku
OMUTHIYA - The anti-graft agency says investigations into alleged corruption and nepotism levelled against several local authority councillors of Omuthiya Town Council is nearly complete, pending finalisation of charges.
Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) spokesperson Josefina Nghituwamata said the investigator working on the case was busy reviewing and verifying all charges as they are too many.
“The investigations are at 95% complete and once the charges are well formulated, the file will be send to the director general for approval, so that it can be forwarded to the prosecutor general for a decision. There were just a few things remaining to be finalised, but we are on course,” said Nghituwamata.
The ACC investigation was launched in July 2019 after a series of New Era reports in which it was alleged that four councillors, including mayor Katrina Uusiku, her deputy Heskiel Nanyeni, chairperson of management committee Beata Nashongo and Enos Shipahu were involved in dubious land sales as well as pushing jobs for relatives.
The alleged corrupt activities came to the fore in a leaked letter from the former CEO Samuel Mbango addressed to the then Minister of Urban and Rural Development Peya Mushelenga where he detailed alleged shoddy dealings implicating councillors.
Mbango’s unparalleled revelations came after he was served with a letter notifying him that the council will not renew his contract when it expired on 31 August last year and that the coveted position of CEO at Omuthiya would be advertised.
Uusiku is accused of having allegedly pushed for the employment of her husband and refusing to vacate three plots – erven 1244, 1245 and 1246 at Extension 5 – which she had been compensated for already.
She is also accused of having dished an industrial erven to herself.
Nanyeni is said to have leased himself Erf 1295 at Extension 5 where he built apartments in an effort to buy it after five years, but he has not done so to date, including another huge plot on the town’s agricultural land.
New Era is however reliably informed that Nanyeni has relinquished the plot and started paying for the lease fee.
Nashongo is accused of nepotism for pushing for jobs to people close to her.
In the letter authored by Mbango, he cited the recruitment of a finance and human resource manager in 2017, who had come second with 66.6% at the expense of an internal staff who came tops with 77.8%.
Shipahu is suspected of having a hand in the sale of a Swapo land, Erf 2 in Omuthiya proper, as well as leasing a number of plots to himself without ministerial approval.
- osimasiku@nepc.com.na