Hardap Council officials suspended over furniture

THE Hardap Regional Council has suspended two senior officials without pay over the storage of Council property at a private farm.

The suspensions took effect on Wednesday, acting Hardap Governor Trougott Claasen said yesterday. The two officials are Chief Regional Officer James Sankwasa and Chief Control Officer Leonard Stephanus.Police recently raided Stephanus’s farm near Mariental after receiving a tip-off that Council furniture and building supplies were being stored there.Claasen said they were suspended at the recommendation of the Public Service Commission to allow further investigation of the matter.He said Stephanus had been served with his letter of suspension, while Sankwasa would receive his letter on Monday, upon his return from a trip to Botswana.Stephanus and Sankwasa earlier told The Namibian that they decided to store the Council property on the farm because of a lack of storage space in Mariental.Sankwasa said he acted in accordance with Council regulations when he asked Stephanus to store the items on his farm.The two officials are Chief Regional Officer James Sankwasa and Chief Control Officer Leonard Stephanus.Police recently raided Stephanus’s farm near Mariental after receiving a tip-off that Council furniture and building supplies were being stored there.Claasen said they were suspended at the recommendation of the Public Service Commission to allow further investigation of the matter.He said Stephanus had been served with his letter of suspension, while Sankwasa would receive his letter on Monday, upon his return from a trip to Botswana.Stephanus and Sankwasa earlier told The Namibian that they decided to store the Council property on the farm because of a lack of storage space in Mariental.Sankwasa said he acted in accordance with Council regulations when he asked Stephanus to store the items on his farm.