ACC arrests police officer and inmate on bribery charges at Ondangwa

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has arrested an inmate and a police officer at Ondangwa in connection with an alleged bribery incident dating back to 2023.

The arrests were made on 22 January in the Oshana region.

Those arrested are Fillemon ‘Kasita’ Kadhikwa (36), an inmate at the Ondangwa Police Station holding cells and sergeant Victory Vatileni (37), a police officer based at the station.

Kadhikwa and Vatileni appeared in the Ondangwa Magistrate’s Court on 23 January where they were each granted bail of N$2 000.

The alleged incident occurred on 30 January 2023 while Kadhikwa was in police custody. It is alleged that he offered a bribe of N$2 000 to a detective warrant officer in an attempt to avoid being charged in a fraud case that was under investigation at the time.

The ACC further alleges that on the same day, Vatileni, who was on duty at the Ondangwa Police Station, received the N$2 000 from Kadhikwa’s brother and handed the money directly to Kadhikwa inside the holding cells.

“The transaction was allegedly not recorded in the official police register,” reads an ACC report.

Vatileni is also accused of providing false information to an ACC investigating officer.

He allegedly claimed that he handed the money to another police officer on duty and denied communicating with Kadhikwa via cellphone while the inmate was in custody.

The case was postponed to 10 June for the fixing of a trial date.

Kadhikwa has been charged with contravening Section 34(a) of the Anti-Corruption Act for corruptly giving gratification, alternatively Section 38(b) for bribery of a public officer.

Vatileni faces a charge under Section 29(1)(d) of the act for providing false information to an authorised officer.

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