Correctional officers targeting inmates' money
Since March 2018, nine correctional officers have been implicated in 13 cases of illegal activities, including smuggling contraband into correctional facilities.
Four of the officers were implicated in illegal transactions of offenders' money, while others were involved in smuggling drugs and cellphones.
All implicated officers were held before disciplinary hearings and some have since lost their jobs.
This is according to information provided by the Namibia Correctional Service (NCS). The NCS manages 13 correctional facilities across the country.
In April 2018, three officials were involved in illegal transactions of inmates' money at Gobabis, Windhoek and Oluno correctional facilities.
The NCS could however not specify the amount of money.
The officer from the Gobabis facility resigned after admitting guilt and paying back the inmate's money.
The Windhoek facility officer was charged in a disciplinary hearing and the matter was handed over to the High Court for prosecution, while the Oluno officer was arrested after deserting the service and is currently still in Ondangwa police custody.
Another case of illegal transaction of inmates' money was reported in May 2018 at the Windhoek facility. The matter is currently pending before a disciplinary committee.
An official from the Oluno facility was dismissed after being caught smuggling cell phones, mandrax, cannabis, tobacco and SIM cards in September 2018.
Four incidents from last year are pending before a disciplinary committee. This includes a case of an official smuggling cell phones and SIM cards into the Walvis Bay facility in February, an officer smuggling cannabis into the Hardap facility and the smuggling of cell phones at the Oluno and Elizabeth Nepemba facilities.
Four cases of visitors smuggling drugs and cell phones were also recorded at the Windhoek and Gobabis facilities.
ILENI NANDJATO
Four of the officers were implicated in illegal transactions of offenders' money, while others were involved in smuggling drugs and cellphones.
All implicated officers were held before disciplinary hearings and some have since lost their jobs.
This is according to information provided by the Namibia Correctional Service (NCS). The NCS manages 13 correctional facilities across the country.
In April 2018, three officials were involved in illegal transactions of inmates' money at Gobabis, Windhoek and Oluno correctional facilities.
The NCS could however not specify the amount of money.
The officer from the Gobabis facility resigned after admitting guilt and paying back the inmate's money.
The Windhoek facility officer was charged in a disciplinary hearing and the matter was handed over to the High Court for prosecution, while the Oluno officer was arrested after deserting the service and is currently still in Ondangwa police custody.
Another case of illegal transaction of inmates' money was reported in May 2018 at the Windhoek facility. The matter is currently pending before a disciplinary committee.
An official from the Oluno facility was dismissed after being caught smuggling cell phones, mandrax, cannabis, tobacco and SIM cards in September 2018.
Four incidents from last year are pending before a disciplinary committee. This includes a case of an official smuggling cell phones and SIM cards into the Walvis Bay facility in February, an officer smuggling cannabis into the Hardap facility and the smuggling of cell phones at the Oluno and Elizabeth Nepemba facilities.
Four cases of visitors smuggling drugs and cell phones were also recorded at the Windhoek and Gobabis facilities.
ILENI NANDJATO
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