Walvis suspends officials
… council to enlist auditor to verify land deals report
The Walvis Bay council yesterday suspended its CEO Muronga Haingura and three other officials to pave way for ongoing investigations against them by the Anti-Corruption Commission.
The suspended officials also include general manager Victor Agostinho, manager of housing and properties Jack Manale as well as the property clerk Connie Summers.
The suspension comes after the ACC on Thursday last week confiscated desktop computers, laptop cellular devices as well as other equipment as part of an ongoing investigation into the alleged corruption and lack of transparency in the mass urban land servicing project (MULSP), as well as the reportedly unaccounted N$24 million at the Walvis Bay municipality.
The municipal council during an extraordinary meeting held yesterday resolved that the four officials be suspended as a result of the ongoing investigation by ACC.
“All these officials are suspended with immediate effect and with full remuneration to allow the investigation to be conducted unhindered and without threat of interference, and the possible tampering with any records and documents relating to the case,” read the statement.
Finance manager Frans Gonteb has been appointed as acting CEO in the interim.
According to the municipality, council also resolved to obtain the services of an external auditor to verify the report on the misappropriation of funds regarding the sale of erven and properties, as compiled by the department of finance.
“Council also resolved to request for exemption from the procurement processes from the finance ministry through the procurement policy so council can obtain the services of an external auditor to verify the report on the misappropriation of funds regarding the sale of erven and properties, as compiled by the finance department.”
The municipality also announced that council also wants to obtain specialised legal services in the event of disciplinary steps having to be initiated as a result of the investigation.
Probe
The ACC announced last week it was investigating the four officials into the alleged corruption and lack of transparency in the mass urban land servicing project, as well as the reportedly unaccounted N$24 million.
The mass urban land servicing project case dates back to 2018 and was reported due to an alleged lack of transparency during the allocation and selling of houses under the programme. The latest case is that of the reportedly unaccounted N$24 million that was brought to the fore in November by former Walvis Bay Urban constituency council l or Knowledge Ipinge. About 980 houses were built under the programme between 2015 and 2019, whereby the municipality provided land to 42 contractors for the construction of homes and which is now part of the unaccounted N$24 million. Ipinge last week emphasised that the municipality’s top management owes residents a better explanation or should find the missing money instead of saying that it is in the suspense account. The financial statements were presented at the Erongo Regional Council’s ordinary meeting in October while Ipinge was still in office. However, Ipinge who was also instrumental in laying a charge against the municipality last month, said the missing money, according to him, is part of the mass urban land servicing programme that was initiated in 2015 following a meeting between the government and the Affirmative Repositioning movement.