ACC accused of corruption
A municipal worker says the anti-graft body is not treating everyone on an equal footing.
A Keetmanshoop council worker is accusing the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) of bias, and weak and ineffective management after it turned its sights on his participation in a disciplinary hearing at the Maltahöhe Village Council.
Former opposition party functionary, Adam Isaak, is representing two employees who have been suspended from the Maltahöhe council on allegations of misconduct in the award and execution of a tender for the design and construction of a fire station.
He is representing the accused as “director-general/manager” of a firm trading under the name Legalabour Consultants with a postal address in Maltahöhe.
The hearing against the two accused was scheduled for 19 to 22 September.
On 19 September, ACC deputy director Advocate Erna van der Merwe wrote a letter to the Keetmanshoop municipality CEO Desmond Basson to enquire whether Isaak has in fact taken leave to attend to the hearing and whether he has the requisite permission to perform outside remunerative work.
Isaak claims that he is being singled out since the ACC has not made similar enquiries with the City of Windhoek whose legal advisor, Tjizembua Hongonekua, is chairing the disciplinary hearing and who has reportedly received subsistence and travelling allowance(S&T) from the Maltahöhe Village Council for the duration of the hearing.
“It looks like a plot against me. The [ACC] letter was drafted in the corridors. You cannot suck any old complaint out of your thumb while no charge has been laid against me. The ACC is being used as a tool to settle personal vendettas against me. The ACC is a corrupt institution. Its work is based on politics and cronyism. Its investigations are not independent and people at grassroots level are being treated harshly while powerful figures are going scot-free,” fumed Isaak.
He claimed that the credibility of the ACC is compromised because of its alleged biased disposition towards him.
“There is a personal fight going on at the Maltahöhe Village Council and whoever represents the accused are being treated in a hostile manner,” Isaak said, adding: “I have no problem to declare my interests as long as this applies to everyone; the playing field must be levelled.”
Isaak also questioned why Karel Cloete, an ACC senior investigating officer, was allowed to act as a witness at the hearing.
He said the disciplinary process is an internal matter dealing with a civil case.
Isaak further accused the Maltahöhe council of having used an ACC report as the basis for charges formulated against the two accused.
The disciplinary hearing follows a recommendation by the ACC after it has done its preliminary investigation into the alleged corruption.
Advocate van der Merwe proposed that Isaak register his grievance with the ACC.
“How can you report Lucifer to Satan?” questioned Isaak.
Catherine Sasman
Former opposition party functionary, Adam Isaak, is representing two employees who have been suspended from the Maltahöhe council on allegations of misconduct in the award and execution of a tender for the design and construction of a fire station.
He is representing the accused as “director-general/manager” of a firm trading under the name Legalabour Consultants with a postal address in Maltahöhe.
The hearing against the two accused was scheduled for 19 to 22 September.
On 19 September, ACC deputy director Advocate Erna van der Merwe wrote a letter to the Keetmanshoop municipality CEO Desmond Basson to enquire whether Isaak has in fact taken leave to attend to the hearing and whether he has the requisite permission to perform outside remunerative work.
Isaak claims that he is being singled out since the ACC has not made similar enquiries with the City of Windhoek whose legal advisor, Tjizembua Hongonekua, is chairing the disciplinary hearing and who has reportedly received subsistence and travelling allowance(S&T) from the Maltahöhe Village Council for the duration of the hearing.
“It looks like a plot against me. The [ACC] letter was drafted in the corridors. You cannot suck any old complaint out of your thumb while no charge has been laid against me. The ACC is being used as a tool to settle personal vendettas against me. The ACC is a corrupt institution. Its work is based on politics and cronyism. Its investigations are not independent and people at grassroots level are being treated harshly while powerful figures are going scot-free,” fumed Isaak.
He claimed that the credibility of the ACC is compromised because of its alleged biased disposition towards him.
“There is a personal fight going on at the Maltahöhe Village Council and whoever represents the accused are being treated in a hostile manner,” Isaak said, adding: “I have no problem to declare my interests as long as this applies to everyone; the playing field must be levelled.”
Isaak also questioned why Karel Cloete, an ACC senior investigating officer, was allowed to act as a witness at the hearing.
He said the disciplinary process is an internal matter dealing with a civil case.
Isaak further accused the Maltahöhe council of having used an ACC report as the basis for charges formulated against the two accused.
The disciplinary hearing follows a recommendation by the ACC after it has done its preliminary investigation into the alleged corruption.
Advocate van der Merwe proposed that Isaak register his grievance with the ACC.
“How can you report Lucifer to Satan?” questioned Isaak.
Catherine Sasman
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