By Staff Reporter
ALLEGATIONS have sparked at Katima Mulilo Town Council while it is faring on without a financial budget, amid embezzlement of one million Namibia dollars raised from a fleet auction in June 2007 that still needs to be accounted for by its Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Vincent Sazita.
Closed sources within Katima Council said, Sazita held an auction with Aucor where the council auctioned most of its fleet – sedans, bakkies, tractors and trucks -, which raised an amount of N$ 1million that was allegedly never paid into its coffers.
Finance Department has allegedly tried to query about the missing money on several occasions after matter was brought to the attention of the Councillors who allegedly failed to get satisfactory answers to the employees.
“Every time we ask about the money he retaliates with threats and says he is not answerable to his juniors. What happened to the money is a mystery,” said the employee.
Contrary to the Local Authority Act 23, section 82 Management Committee is required to control the expenditure of all monies voted by the local authority council in its budget but Katima Mulilo Town Council has been operating without a financial budget of 2009/2010.
Sazita could neither deny nor confirm the allegation saying the financial books of the council are in order and money was deposited according to council banking procedure and later used for operational services.
“You can write whatever you want to write but I know the financial books of the council are balanced and in order. The people reporting me are out to sabotage me as none of these allegations was brought up in meetings. The cheque was deposited in the council account,” Sazita said.
Mayor of Katima Mulilo, John Likando said he is not aware of the missing money but confirmed the amount raised at the auction and added that he does not deal directly with money.
“Am just a chairperson of the council. I do not deal with money directly. I have never received a submission of that nature so maybe you should call the person who gave you that information to get more clarity,” said Likando.
Ministry of Regional and Local Government, Permanent Secretary, Erastus Negonga said the Ministry is not aware of the missing money as they only receive formal reports from councils.
Negonga added that there are internal auditors who do random cross checks but do not audit councils.
“The ministry is not aware of that money or the auction. We are not directly linked, as there is an overseer for the council, we just receive formal reports. I advise the whistleblower if he/she has evidence to approach the Anti-Corruption to log that complaint for further investigation,” Negonga said.
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