Fraud continues to dog Council at Keetmanshoop Town

THE Keetmanshoop Town Council has suspended its data processor with full pay pending a investigation into irregularities in the council’s records.

The Council’s acting Chief Executive Officer, Andre Blaauw, yesterday confirmed the suspension of Moses Markus.It is alleged that Markus illegally transferred money from the council’s unallocated money account to a customer account after allegedly pocketing money customers had paid to settle their municipal bills. According to Blaauw, direct bank deposits without references are placed in the unallocated money account. Markus had resigned from the municipality a few years ago after being implicated in alleged fraud, but was re-employed in January this year, The Namibian was informedIn another case, two former municipal officials, Ingrid Coleman and Tommy Coleman, and staffer Rosaline Keramin, who is on suspension, appeared in the Keetmanshoop Magistrate’s Court at the beginning of December on a charge of fraud related to N$1 million that went missing at the council over a period of seven months in 2007. The suspects were joined in the dock by Hendrik Velskoen and Reanette April. The stolen money was allegedly found in their bank accounts.The case was postponed until next year. All the suspects remain free on bail ranging from N$2 000 to N$15 000. luqman@namibian.com.na