Trouble brews for Okahandja boss

OUTGOING Okahandja chief executive officer Martha Mutilifa could face legal action if she fails to respond to a summons issued against her by the Anti-Corruption Commission by tomorrow.

Mutilifa faces allegations that she illegally sold large tracts of unserviced land at the town for a song at a time the government had banned land sales in the area.

Earlier this month, Mutilifa was served a summons to appear before the ACC to explain allegations of corruption regarding the sales of that piece of land and about 3 200 other plots sold by the Okahandja municipality between 2014 and 2020.

The ACC’s director general, Paulus Noa, this week said the commission will “apply the law” if Mutilifa fails to provide the commission with an acceptable explanation on why she failed to appear or provide information she was requested to regarding the alleged illegal sales of land.

“The summons we served on her is still valid until 23 October 2020.

“We will determine what would be done on that date . . . if the person fails to provide us with an acceptable explanation.

“If she is still in office and fails to appear for no apparent reason, that is when you apply the law,” Noa said.

A summons was served on Mutilifa initially after she failed to respond to a letter by Noa, who asked her to provide the anti-graft body with council resolutions, minutes and deeds of sale relating to how the plots concerned were sold.

In that letter, Noa said the residential and business plots allegedly sold illegally by Mutilifa and the Okahandja municipality are located at Ekunde Extensions 1, 2, 3 and 5, Veddersdal and Five Rand.

Other plots of concern to the ACC, according to Noa’s letter, include unserviced land at Conradie Street opposite Erf 330 in town, Erf 3 076 at Dautry North Street, and land at the corner of Kataazu Street in town next to the railway.

Noa also asked Mutilifa to explain how plots at Ekunde Extensions 1 and 2 were sold to a Chinese company called Right Path Investment (Pty) Ltd.

“The ACC gives serious attention to the allegations and thus requests your good office to urgently provide the ACC with the following documentation . . . and explanation on the allegations on or before 1 October 2020,” Noa’s letter reads.

understands that Mutilifa, who is due to retire from the municipality, has not responded to Noa’s letter yet and has not appeared before the ACC to explain the alleged corruption.

ACC spokesperson Josefina Nghituwamata this week said the commission has decided to also investigate allegations that Mutilifa illegally sold undeveloped municipal land, measuring approximately 42 870 square metres, to a certain Gerhard Iyakune Katau for N$90 000 in 2019.

The land in question was divided into more than 10 plots of between 1 100 and 8 000 square metres each.

The individual who bought the land is now reportedly selling it for about N$9 million.

This transaction was among the reasons the previous Okahandja Municipal Council cited when suspending Mutilifa earlier this year.

That council was dissolved in March this year by former minister of urban and rural development Peya Mushelenga over allegations of mismanagement, defying ministerial directives and the nonsubmission of council minutes, among others.

Mushelenga reinstated Mutilifa after dissolving the council.

Mutilifa this week refused to comment on the allegations. She also refused to confirm when she was retiring from the municipality.

The urban and rural development ministry’s representative at Okahandja, Linus //Garoëb, said the municipality cannot respond to the request by the ACC as the commission did not summon councillors.

He referred the questions to Mutilifa as the accounting officer.

//Garoëb, however, refused to comment on Mutilifa’s retirement saying an announcement would be made at an appropriate time.