THE Bank of Namibia (BoN) has ruled out public interviews for the position of director of the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) because the law does not make provision for such a process.
“The FIC Act does not prescribe such a process for the position of the FIC director at present,” BoN spokesperson Kazembire Zemburuka told The Namibian last week.
FIC is Namibia’s financial crime-busting state agency, which was headed by Leonie Dunn as director for 10 years before she was appointed as the central bank’s second deputy governor.
Her tenure included overseeing the investigation into the Fishrot scandal, which is currently unfolding in the courts.
The FIC’s work was used to drag prominent Namibian lawyer Sisa Namandje to court for alleged money laundering of over N$21 million allegedly stolen from the state.
President Hage Geingob appointed Dunn as second deputy governor at BoN on a five-year contract, starting 1 January 2022, a decision which created the vacancy at the FIC.
This week, the FIC advertised the director vacancy in newspapers. However, the recruitment process will be conducted out of the public eye.
Namibia has in recent years held public interviews for key positions, such as the head of the Office of the Ombudsman and the Municipality of Windhoek.
In South Africa, public interviews for top government positions are the norm. Last month, the public witnessed the interviews for the candidates vying for the position of inspector general of intelligence.
Zemburuka said the process of recruiting the FIC boss is still at an early stage.
“Individuals with the necessary qualifications are encouraged to apply. A shortlist of all qualifying candidates will be compiled, and these candidates will be subjected to the standard selection process,” he said.
Zemburuka insisted that there was nothing sinister in Dunn’s move from the FIC to the central bank, in fact BoN lauded Dunn for running the agency without “fear or favour”.
The Financial Intelligence Act 13 of 2012 gives the finance minister, in this case Iipumbu Shiimi, the power to appoint a “suitably qualified, fit, and proper” director at the FIC.
Shiimi should do this after consulting the Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism Council, which is chaired by BoN governor Johannes !Gawaxab.
Other members who are part of that council include Anti-Corruption Commission director general Paulus Noa, auditor general Junias Kandjeke, police inspector general Sebastian Ndeitunga, prosecutor general Martha Imalwa and Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security executive director Etienne Maritz.
The FIC job vacancy states that the candidate should be an admitted legal practitioner, hold a master’s degree in law with specialisation in commercial law, and have a minimum of 15 years of working experience.
“The public is urged to be patient until it reaches its logical conclusion,” Zemburuka said.
It’s not only the FIC that is looking for a director. The Law Society of Namibia is also looking for a new director.
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