Four police officers arrested for corruption

THE Anti-Corruption Commission has picked up four Namibian police officers from the human resources department, including the head of the department, commissioner Abed Kashihakumwa.

Kashihakumwa was arrested yesterday, while the other three – chief inspector Nikanor Ashipala Tweumuna; inspector Anna Maria Klaudia Angula, and an administrative assistant, Sakaria Ashipala – were arrested on Tuesday.

They are facing charges of corruptly using an office or position for gratification, for using a false document as well as for corruptly employing Kashihakumwa’s brother-in-law in the force.

Kashihakumwa appeared in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court in Katutura yesterday and was given N$5 000 bail, while the case was postponed to 25 August.

The others are also out on bail.

Tweumuna is accused of corruptly using an office or position for gratification and for using a false document, while Angula is charged for corruptly using an office or position as gratification, for using a false document and for deleting information stored in a computer relating to the recruitment process.

Ashipala is accused of giving a false application form for employment with false information as well as a false certificate of good conduct. To date Ashipala who is alleged to be the brother-in-law of Kashihakumwa, is still employed within the Namibian Police.

A press statement issued by the ACC yesterday indicated that during 2015, the directorate of investigation prosecution commenced with an investigation into corruption/ fraud allegedly perpetrated by staff within the human resources component of the Namibian Police. All four are based at the police headquarters in Windhoek.

The allegations pertained to the alleged corrupt appointment of Ashipala to the Namibian Police whilst he had been convicted of theft during 2011.

Ashipala was discharged from the Namibian Police on 6 October 2010 after he had been convicted of theft.

The ACC said all indications are that his fingerprints were never obtained and thus his criminal record at the Namibian Police Criminal Record Centre reflected “no record”.

“Ashipala allegedly applied for a civilian post in the Namibian Police Force and attached a “Certificate of Conduct” to his application for employment that states that he had no previous convictions whilst he also omitted and left blank the section in the application form where he was requested to indicate any previous criminal record,” the ACC argued.

It is alleged that Kashihakumwa, Tweumuna and Angula manipulated and facilitated his employment by changing scores and internal documentation so that he could meet the criteria.

A letter of recommendation was subsequendy prepared for submission to the head of the human resources component which in this case is Kashihakumwa and signed by him on which the name of his brother-in-law appeared. Allegedly commissioner Kashihakumwa was aware of the individual’s previous conviction.

This recommendation subsequently bypassed the next level of authority namely that of the general responsible for administration, and was then forwarded to the permanent secretary who approved the appointment. Prosecutor general Martha Imalwa, after studying the case docket, decided to arraign the accused persons on various charges of corruption.