Border official accused of abusing his positionCorrupt officials under ACC loop The Namibian border official is accused of permitting visitors, who had overstayed their legal limit, to exit and enter without facing arrest, among others. A Namibian border official and six Zimbabwean nationals remain behind bars in Katima Mulilo following an investigation by the Anti-Corruption Commission into alleged corrupt practices.According to a recent press statement, the commission launched an investigation in late September following a tip-off that Namibian border official Kingsley Gwala had corruptly abused his position as an immigration official.
The ACC stated that Gwala was stamping Zimbabweans'' passports “in order to indicate that they exited and entered the border post in order to extend their status as visitors to Namibia whilst they were never physically present.”
Gwala is also accused of permitting visitors, who had overstayed their legal limit, to exit and enter without facing arrest.
The ACC investigation resulted in the arrest of five Zimbabwean nationals and Gwala himself.
During the probe into Gwala, the investigators discovered that he had been convicted of fraud in 2007 while employed at the Ministry of Justice. He was sentenced to 18 months'' imprisonment or a fine of N$3 000.
Although Gwala was dismissed from the ministry, he applied for a position as a border patrol officer, keeping quiet about his fraud conviction. On 18 October, Gwala and his co-accused brought a bail application before Katima Mulilo magistrate Ko Muyeghu. Muyeghu dismissed the application and ordered them to remain in custody until their next court appearance on 5 December 2016.
The ACC is investigating charges of corruption as well as offences under the Prevention of Organised Crime Act.
HOME AFFAIRS ACCUSED ON THE RUN
Meanwhile, the ACC has asked for public assistance in tracing two people accused of multiple counts of fraud, bribery and document falsification.
Arrest warrants were issued for Fillipus Fillipus and Elizabeth Shiwoshange Daniel, both wanted in connection with a completed investigation in which eight people face 17 charges of fraud and multiple charges of bribery. The charges relate to falsification of documents at Home Affairs.
Fillipus is a 25-year-old man whose last known address was Erf 45 in Okahandja''s Five Rand location. He was previously employed at Visser General and Packaging at Okahandja.
Daniel is believed to hail from the Omatwandiva or Okalongo area, the ACC press statement says.
The other six accused were arrested and appeared in the Okahandja Magistrate''s Court on 6 June. Their case was postponed to November 24. All of them were granted bail.
The ACC would welcome any information on the whereabouts of the two missing accused. Anyone with information can contact Junias Iipinge, a senior investigator at the ACC, at 061 435 4000 or 081 271 9452.
JANA-MARI SMITH