Two cop commanders who face theft charges still on job

TWO senior Police officers who have been charged with theft are still reporting for duty.

On March 23, Special Branch Commanding Officer Lottinelomba Uusiku appeared in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court on charges of theft brought by the Police. Four days later, on March 27, the same charges were brought against Joseph Kamati, the Commanding Officer of the Police’s Finance Division.The two are alleged to be responsible for the disappearance of an unspecified amount of money that the Police was supposed to pay over to the Treasury in the Ministry of Finance.This money apparently included subsistence and travel (S&T) allowances as well as informants’ rewards and bail money.One Police officer who spoke to The Namibian last week revealed that both Uusiku and Kamati were still reporting for duty as normal, although their case had been postponed for the Police to complete their investigations.”How can they be in office while being investigated? Who’s to say they won’t interfere with the investigations?” the source asked.Kamati confirmed yesterday that neither he nor Uusiku had been suspended, saying that their disciplinary hearings had not yet been completed.Uusiku could not be reached yesterday, and was said to be on leave.Commenting on the situation, Chief Inspector Hieronymus Goraseb of the Police’s public relations unit said the decision whether or not to suspend the two men lay with the chairperson of the disciplinary committee.”I understand that a hearing has been held, but the outcome has not yet been received,” he said.He said the Police were steering clear of repeating the mistake it made last year when it suspended four officers following the death of businessman Lazarus Kandara in their custody.In that case, one of the suspended officers, former Detective Chief Inspector Oscar Sheehama, appealed against his suspension on the grounds that he had not been given a chance to present his side of the matter.The court ruled in favour of Sheehama’s appeal, and all four men were reinstated.”In order for them to be suspended, they have to have given their side of the story as well,” Goraseb said.Uusiku and Kamati are set to return to court on August 1.Four days later, on March 27, the same charges were brought against Joseph Kamati, the Commanding Officer of the Police’s Finance Division.The two are alleged to be responsible for the disappearance of an unspecified amount of money that the Police was supposed to pay over to the Treasury in the Ministry of Finance.This money apparently included subsistence and travel (S&T) allowances as well as informants’ rewards and bail money.One Police officer who spoke to The Namibian last week revealed that both Uusiku and Kamati were still reporting for duty as normal, although their case had been postponed for the Police to complete their investigations.”How can they be in office while being investigated? Who’s to say they won’t interfere with the investigations?” the source asked.Kamati confirmed yesterday that neither he nor Uusiku had been suspended, saying that their disciplinary hearings had not yet been completed.Uusiku could not be reached yesterday, and was said to be on leave.Commenting on the situation, Chief Inspector Hieronymus Goraseb of the Police’s public relations unit said the decision whether or not to suspend the two men lay with the chairperson of the disciplinary committee.”I understand that a hearing has been held, but the outcome has not yet been received,” he said.He said the Police were steering clear of repeating the mistake it made last year when it suspended four officers following the death of businessman Lazarus Kandara in their custody.In that case, one of the suspended officers, former Detective Chief Inspector Oscar Sheehama, appealed against his suspension on the grounds that he had not been given a chance to present his side of the matter.The court ruled in favour of Sheehama’s appeal, and all four men were reinstated.”In order for them to be suspended, they have to have given their side of the story as well,” Goraseb said.Uusiku and Kamati are set to return to court on August 1.