The Eenhana Town Council and the Northern Regions Electricity Distributor (Nored) remain silent on the suspension of their chief executive officers (CEOs).
Eenhana CEO Gabriel Benjamin was suspended on 3 July, while Nored CEO Fillemon Nakashole was suspended in April.
Benjamin’s suspension was intended to last three months.
However, yesterday he said his suspension was extended for another three months in Otober.
“The letter just said the suspension is extended for another three months,” Benjamin said.
He said the suspension was signed by Eenhana mayor Omri-Oon Kavandje.
Kavandje referred The Namibian to the chairperson of the management committee, Amos Nangolo.
Nangolo said Benjamin is still suspended and that the investigation is ongoing.
“. . . and it’s about to be completed. Once the investigation is completed, he will get his charges, then you will get the full information as to when he will resume work,” he said.
Nangolo said Benjamin has been suspended with full pay.
Meanwhile, Nored board chairperson Johannes Uushini yesterday said he is not mandated to comment on the matter.
Nakashole yesterday said: “I can’t comment.”
‘KICKBACKS’
Nored spokesperson Simon Lukas in April said Nored intended to launch an immediate investigation after a ghostwriter accused Nakashole of being involved in illegal business and taking kickbacks from a truck company at Ondangwa.
A widely circulated message, purportedly written by a former employee of truck company, said accused Nakashole of receiving “secret envelopes” from the “boss lady”.
The author of the message claimed he/she worked for the truck company, but was fired when they confronted “the boss lady”.
The author wrote: “The CEO of Nored is [a] party of their illegal business.
He always visits the boss lady with his red/maroon Jeep and gets secret envelopes. One time she was not there and I opened it. There was N$10 000 in the envelope.”
Lukas said at the time Nakashole does not deal with any operational issues relating to fleet maintenance and management of the company.
He said Nored would ensure that whoever is implicated will be appropriately dealt with.
In the media statement, Lukas refuted the allegations against Nakashole, saying they are “totally incorrect and grossly misleading”.
“This information not only casts aspersions on the CEO’s integrity, but also has the potential to damage his reputation and that of Nored.”
Lukas further denied the accusations against Nakashole, pointing out that he neither drives nor owns a vehicle matching the description provided in the message.
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