ACC nabs Health Ministry worker

AN employee of the Ministry of Health is set to appear in court today after he allegedly solicited payments for jobs while also posing as an Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) officer.

Nelius Becker, chief of investigation and prosecution at the ACC, announced yesterday that the 24-year-old man who serves as an ‘institution worker’ allegedly posed as a human resource practitioner of the Ministry of Health and corruptly offered a position of driver to a member of the public against payment of a bribe.
Becker said the suspect was arrested by members of the City Police yesterday after a whistleblower informed them that N$300 was being solicited from him by the suspect in exchange for securing a job as a driver.
The investigation was taken over by the ACC after the arrest.
Becker said that police officers found the suspect in possession of a forged ACC authority card during the arrest.
It is alleged that he used the card to scare off any of his ‘clients’ who enquired about the promised employment.
‘Some information was received that other members of the public were also approached and this information is being followed up by the ACC,’ he said.
He called on any other people approached by the suspect to contact the ACC, as their evidence will help with the investigation.
He warned people that they can also be arrested and charged under the Anti-Corruption Act if they offer to pay gratification as an inducement to a person to do or to omit doing anything, particularly if they are aware that their actions are unlawful.
A person convicted of pretending to be an ACC officer can get a fine of up to N$100 000, or be jailed for a maximum of five years, or both.
Becker said all authorised officers of the ACC were issued with authority cards with which they can be identified and if any doubt exists then the identity of an authorised officer can be verified with the Director of the ACC, Paulus Noa, or with Becker himself.
‘The ACC will spare no costs in pursuing and arresting such individuals posing as authorised officers,’ Becker said.
He said four other cases of people pretending to be authorised officers were brought to the attention of the ACC. Two people were arrested at Otjiwarongo while two cases are still under investigation.
In the fourth case a warrant of arrest was issued for a certain Michael Jantjies, who allegedly also posed as an ACC officer, and subsequently fled to South Africa.