Opinion: Keetmans fraud a disgrace

THE recent alleged embezzlement at the Keetmanshoop Municipality of more than N$700 000 is just disgraceful.

The fraud, allegedly committed by a cashier, stretching over seven months, uncovers a lack of proper control measures at the municipality and indicates incompetence on the part of management. A cashier, who had been responsible for the municipality’s banking, allegedly withheld cash and only deposited cheques.Failure to have detected the theft over such a long spell is beyond one’s comprehension, given the fact that bank reconciliation on daily or monthly basis is supposed to be done by the municipality.This could have definitely led to an early detection, sparing the cash-strapped municipality of losing hundreds of thousands of dollars.One just wonders whether a financial policy is intact at the municipality – being a public office – and if in place, then there is no excuse other than gross negligence on the part of management.It’s unacceptable to hear that the alleged fraud was detected in July even though the cashier took up the cashier’s position in January.The alleged fraud could have been detected much earlier if proper control measures were exercised.What aggravates the matter is that no internal disciplinary actions have been taken against management which had failed to ensure checks and balances.Instead, Town Council recently announced that it is cautious to suspend any official for the sake of doing it, noting financial implications and staff shortages.This was a slap in the face for the town’s residents, who demanded that management staff, including the CEO, be relieved from their positions immediately.I believe the tendency of councillors to shield some officials plays a major role in them failing to find common ground over suspending those guilty of negligence that led to theft.The Council should rethink its decision and immediately launch an internal investigation into fraud apart from the Police investigation that led to the arrest of the cashier.Any official who is found guilty of having neglected his responsibility in preventing the fraud that has ruined the struggling municipality must be given the boot.Three to four officials would face the music on counts of gross negligence if Council launched a serious internal investigation instead for pointing fingers at each other as part of the blame game because of the polarisation among them.The Council is too occupied with factional infighting instead of bringing development to the town that would pull it out of the debt web.This is just a wake-up call Council.So come on, it is time to restore the confidence of the people who elected you.A cashier, who had been responsible for the municipality’s banking, allegedly withheld cash and only deposited cheques.Failure to have detected the theft over such a long spell is beyond one’s comprehension, given the fact that bank reconciliation on daily or monthly basis is supposed to be done by the municipality.This could have definitely led to an early detection, sparing the cash-strapped municipality of losing hundreds of thousands of dollars.One just wonders whether a financial policy is intact at the municipality – being a public office – and if in place, then there is no excuse other than gross negligence on the part of management.It’s unacceptable to hear that the alleged fraud was detected in July even though the cashier took up the cashier’s position in January.The alleged fraud could have been detected much earlier if proper control measures were exercised.What aggravates the matter is that no internal disciplinary actions have been taken against management which had failed to ensure checks and balances.Instead, Town Council recently announced that it is cautious to suspend any official for the sake of doing it, noting financial implications and staff shortages.This was a slap in the face for the town’s residents, who demanded that management staff, including the CEO, be relieved from their positions immediately.I believe the tendency of councillors to shield some officials plays a major role in them failing to find common ground over suspending those guilty of negligence that led to theft.The Council should rethink its decision and immediately launch an internal investigation into fraud apart from the Police investigation that led to the arrest of the cashier.Any official who is found guilty of having neglected his responsibility in preventing the fraud that has ruined the struggling municipality must be given the boot.Three to four officials would face the music on counts of gross negligence if Council launched a serious internal investigation instead for pointing fingers at each other as part of the blame game because of the polarisation among them.The Council is too occupied with factional infighting instead of bringing development to the town that would pull it out of the debt web.This is just a wake-up call Council.So come on, it is time to restore the confidence of the people who elected you.