ACC nabs three officials over water tank fraud in Omaheke

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has arrested three officials - aged 48, 56, and 51 - from the Directorate of Rural Water Supply within the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform in the Omaheke Region, following allegations of corrupt practices involving the requisition and distribution of two 10 000-litre water tanks intended for the communities of Orunarongwe Post in the Otjinene Constituency and Otjijaura Post in the Epukiro Constituency.

According to information obtained by Namibian Sun, fraudulent requisitions were submitted to the Omaheke regional government stores under false pretenses, and the tanks were removed in November 2025.

The ACC determined that the water tanks were diverted for the personal benefit of the officials or other private individuals instead of reaching the intended communities. The two tanks have since been recovered from private persons and are being returned to the Omaheke regional government stores.

The three officials are expected to be formally charged and will appear before the Gobabis Magistrate Court today.

ACC on fire

In a seperate incident, the ACC also arrested former Namibia Institute of Public Administration and Management (NIPAM) manager for marketing and communication, Katoole Johannes Ipinge, in connection with alleged corruption involving more than N$175 000.

The ACC said investigations revealed that between 29 June 2021 and 11 December 2021, Ipinge allegedly abused his official position by providing his personal bank account details to NIPAM clients and instructing them to deposit funds meant for the institution into his personal account.

Authorities alleged that a total of N$175 200 was deposited into his account during the period under investigation.

He made his first appearance before the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court on Friday, where he was granted bail of N$10 000. 

The matter was postponed to 19 March 2026 and transferred to the Windhoek Regional Court.