Man fired for ‘stealing’ newspaper

TUYEIMO HAIDULA OSHAKATI An Oshakati Pharmacy employee is challenging a decision to dismiss him from work for allegedly stealing a copy of Namibian Sun last month.Brasius Newaka (34) worked at the pharmacy's department for veterinary medicines and chemicals since August 2019 and was given a dismissal letter following a disciplinary hearing.The letter, signed by the pharmacy's human resources manager Ndina Valombola, said the company decided to accept the independent chairperson’s recommendations of dismissal with notice.“Effectively, your last working day will be 3 January 2022. However, the company will waiver the notice and pay you in respect thereof. We thank you for your services and wish you all the best for your future endeavors. A final pay slip will be issued on or before 24 December 2021,” she wrote.Findings from the disciplinary hearing show that on 24 November, Newaka took company property - in the form of a copy of a newspaper.“Your contact amounts to dishonesty and contravention to our company policy. The accused took the newspaper from his employer, read [it] and did not pay for it. At the end of the day, as seen in the video footage, he left the company premises and to date [has] not paid for the newspaper,” the letter read in part.It further stated that the code of conduct regards theft as a serious offence and urged the chairperson to recommend a dismissal. ‘I’m innocent’Newaka pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against him and appealed the decision taken, challenging the pharmacy to prove his intention was to steal the newspaper.“I am aware of the allegations against me, but I am innocent and the company could not justify why I am guilty. I didn’t have any intention to steal from this company. I have worked [there] for many years and in all those years I didn’t [steal].“I am challenging the company to prove beyond reasonable doubt my intentions to be disloyal and dishonest. My actions on camera prove that the way I took the newspaper is an innocent act,” his appeal letter read.Newaka said he forgot to include the newspaper among other items which he bought on his account at the pharmacy, which included oil, two bars of soap, a Brut aftershave and toner. He said he gave these items to the security guard to keep for him.He added that he thought he had also told the security guard to put the newspaper on account his account along with the other items.Valombola confirmed the case to Namibian Sun yesterday, and said because Newaka appealed the decision, the case is still ongoing. Tough January loomsSpeaking to Namibian Sun yesterday outside his rented shack at Oshakati’s Evululuko, Newaka lives with his 80-something-year-old father, whom he takes care of.He said his biggest worry is finding a new job during the trying times of the Covid-19 pandemic, as companies continue to cut costs by laying off employees.“After January, I don’t know what life will look like for my father and I. I have a TV and bed which I bought on account and, should I default, I am definitely going to lose the items,” he said. – tuyeimo@namibiansun.com

Man fired for ‘stealing’ newspaper

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Namibian Sun 2025-07-14

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Man fired for ‘stealing’ newspaper

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Namibian Sun 2025-07-14

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