NEWS - NAMIBIA
| 2013-07-30NamPost probe intensifies
Tileni Mongudhi
INVESTIGATIONS around the theft of N$23 000 that disappeared from the Mariental branch of the national postal company, NamPost two months ago, have intensified.
Sources close to the investigations told The Namibian that the company went as far as subjecting its employees to lie detector tests last week.
Sources said polygraph tests were being conducted on employees stationed in the Hardap region where thousands of dollars went missing over the years. Some workers allegedly refused to be tested.
The polygraph tests are the third addition to investigations, which started two months ago after N$23 000 vanished between Kalkrand and Mariental Post Offices.
Police in Mariental are also investigating the disappearance of the money, as well as NamPost’s internal audit department.
The incident took place in June, when NamPost employees at Mariental apparently received a package containing money from the Kalkrand Post Office the previous night.
Sources said the Mariental staff allegedly discovered that the parcel had not been properly sealed and decided to seal it without informing Kalkrand that the package delivered had been tempered with.
After re-sealing the parcel, it was delivered to a bank in Mariental for a deposit to be made, but tellers at the bank discovered that the parcel contained no money.
Sources said another N$7 000 disappeared in a similar fashion between the two post offices. Fingers are being pointed at the company’s regional management that has allowed the rampant theft from the company to continue.
In the last two years the company disciplined several employees accused of fraud. Some were dismissed and made to pay back the money they allegedly stole. Other suspects were transferred to other post offices in the region after paying back the stolen money. Comment could not be obtained from NamPost at the time of going to press.
Sources close to the investigations told The Namibian that the company went as far as subjecting its employees to lie detector tests last week.
Sources said polygraph tests were being conducted on employees stationed in the Hardap region where thousands of dollars went missing over the years. Some workers allegedly refused to be tested.
The polygraph tests are the third addition to investigations, which started two months ago after N$23 000 vanished between Kalkrand and Mariental Post Offices.
Police in Mariental are also investigating the disappearance of the money, as well as NamPost’s internal audit department.
The incident took place in June, when NamPost employees at Mariental apparently received a package containing money from the Kalkrand Post Office the previous night.
Sources said the Mariental staff allegedly discovered that the parcel had not been properly sealed and decided to seal it without informing Kalkrand that the package delivered had been tempered with.
After re-sealing the parcel, it was delivered to a bank in Mariental for a deposit to be made, but tellers at the bank discovered that the parcel contained no money.
Sources said another N$7 000 disappeared in a similar fashion between the two post offices. Fingers are being pointed at the company’s regional management that has allowed the rampant theft from the company to continue.
In the last two years the company disciplined several employees accused of fraud. Some were dismissed and made to pay back the money they allegedly stole. Other suspects were transferred to other post offices in the region after paying back the stolen money. Comment could not be obtained from NamPost at the time of going to press.
