Fraud charge causes consternation in Keetmans Council

THE news of alleged fraud committed by an employee at Keetmanshoop Municipality caused a commotion at an urgent council meeting called by Mayor Fiina Elago on Wednesday to brief the councillors on the arrest.

Tommy Coleman (23), who allegedly embezzled over N$700 000 between January and July, on Wednesday made a brief appearance in the Keetmanshoop Magistrate’s Court on a charge of fraud. It is reported that Coleman allegedly withheld cash when making the municipality’s bank deposits and only deposited cheques.Coleman is the son of Councillor Johannes Coleman.The Namibian was reliably informed that Councillor Moses Titus walked out of the meeting after his demands to have Tommy Coleman’s immediate supervisor, Ingrid Coleman, suspended was shot down.When contacted, Titus confirmed the incident.He said his call for the suspension was based on the fact that Coleman’s supervisor had failed to detect the alleged fraud.”It’s pure negligence on part of the supervisor for not having detected the alleged fraud within such a long period, therefore she must also be brought to book,” he said.The council decided against suspending Ingrid Coleman after the Municipality’s Chief Executive Officer, Jeremia Shangadi, claimed that nobody else could deal with the municipality’s payroll.Titus said Shangadi deserved to be suspended too, because he also failed to detect the fraud, which was “committed right under his nose” for such a long period.”My personal opinion is that [Tommy] Coleman’s supervisor and the CEO have failed the council, therefore my advice to them is to resign,” Titus said angrily.Mayor Elago denied that the Council had discussed any suspension of staff.”It was just a briefing on the arrest of the official implicated and that’s all,” she said.However, she said investigations into the fraud were continuing and, depending on its outcome, suspensions of senior officials in the finance department could not be ruled out.Elago said the Town Council would soon convene a press conference on the matter.During his court appearance, Tommy Coleman was not asked to plead and was denied bail.Magistrate Philanda Blockstein-Christiaan postponed the case until December 4 for further Police investigation.It is reported that Coleman allegedly withheld cash when making the municipality’s bank deposits and only deposited cheques.Coleman is the son of Councillor Johannes Coleman.The Namibian was reliably informed that Councillor Moses Titus walked out of the meeting after his demands to have Tommy Coleman’s immediate supervisor, Ingrid Coleman, suspended was shot down.When contacted, Titus confirmed the incident.He said his call for the suspension was based on the fact that Coleman’s supervisor had failed to detect the alleged fraud.”It’s pure negligence on part of the supervisor for not having detected the alleged fraud within such a long period, therefore she must also be brought to book,” he said.The council decided against suspending Ingrid Coleman after the Municipality’s Chief Executive Officer, Jeremia Shangadi, claimed that nobody else could deal with the municipality’s payroll.Titus said Shangadi deserved to be suspended too, because he also failed to detect the fraud, which was “committed right under his nose” for such a long period.”My personal opinion is that [Tommy] Coleman’s supervisor and the CEO have failed the council, therefore my advice to them is to resign,” Titus said angrily.Mayor Elago denied that the Council had discussed any suspension of staff.”It was just a briefing on the arrest of the official implicated and that’s all,” she said.However, she said investigations into the fraud were continuing and, depending on its outcome, suspensions of senior officials in the finance department could not be ruled out.Elago said the Town Council would soon convene a press conference on the matter.During his court appearance, Tommy Coleman was not asked to plead and was denied bail.Magistrate Philanda Blockstein-Christiaan postponed the case until December 4 for further Police investigation.