Suspended RTC employees back at work

RUNDU, 15 MAY  – Three staff members of the Rundu Town Council (RTC) who were accused of corruption and placed on suspension for almost eight months are back at work.
They are the council’s Strategic Executive for Corporate Services and Administration, Herman Haingura; Divisional Head of Roads, Leevi Kakukuru and Divisional Head of Environmental Health, Sitembinkosi Moyo.
Rundu Mayor, Verna Sinimbo told Nampa on Tuesday that the Chairperson of the Management Committee, Annastacia Antonio worked closely with private investigator, Linus Neumbo on the matter, requesting this reporter to speak to them on why the trio was allowed to resume their duties.
Neumbo explained that the three employees were placed on precautionary suspension and not on punitive suspension.
“So, the purpose of the precautionary suspension is not to punish an employee, but to create a conducive environment to conduct unhindered investigations,” he said.
Investigations against them have been finalised and charges formulated as well, he further said.
The charges have been given to all three employees including Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Romanus Haironga who was also placed on suspension and earlier returned to office.
“This means that they now have to plea. If they plead guilty then we do mitigations. In this case, all four pleaded not guilty,” Neumbo said.
Because they pleaded not guilty, in terms of regulations, the council is expected to constitute disciplinary hearings.
The three employees and the CEO have therefore been reinstated, pending the outcome of the disciplinary hearings.
The RTC has started the preparations for the hearings and the employees will be notified of when and where these hearings will take place, Neumbo said.
It is alleged that Kakukuru in July 2017 pretended to act as an agent of RTC’s Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Makayi and entered into two bogus land sale agreements with a local businessman.
Moyo was arrested in early August for alleged contravention of immigration laws and is being investigated on infringements of the Local Authorities Act 1992. She is now out on bail.
The Anti-Corruption Commission arrested Haingura last year on two counts of corruption.
Haironga, meanwhile, was suspended in July 2017 to allow unhindered investigations into his conduct.

NAMPA