Fresh fraud allegations at GIPF

A Government Institutions Pension Fund (GIPF) employee has been suspended for allegedly defrauding a GIPF member of N$124 000.

According to GIPF acting chief executive Onno Amutenya, the suspended staff member is under scrutiny for the alleged transaction which flouted GIPF’s approval and payment protocols.

Amutenya said the GIPF has launched a full investigation, and reiterated their position of zero tolerance of unethical behaviour and conduct.

“GIPF will leave no stone unturned in the investigation process and will ensure any guilty party faces the true wrath of the law,” Amutenya said.

So far, no criminal case has been opened with the police, GIPF spokesperson Edwin Tjiramba said.

“The internal investigation currently underway will determine the extent of the misconduct to warrant further action from that which has been taken at the moment,” Tjiramba said.

According to an anonymous GIPF source, the member’s money was supposed to be paid into a preservation fund, but the employee, who works as a benefits administrator, changed the banking details to someone else’s.

“GIPF usually pays retirement and resignation claims in preservation funds. In this case, the member’s money was supposed to be paid into the Kuleni Preservation Fund, when an employee changed Kuleni’s banking details to someone else’s,” said the source.

It was then discovered on Monday when the beneficiary inquired about the process of her claim, the source said.

The employee was placed on suspension starting from Monday, pending the outcome of a comprehensive internal investigation.

“Currently it is only the scam which is uncovered, and one employee (name withheld) is suspended and more people are expected to be suspended,” the source said.

This is the latest case of fraud to rock the fund, after two GIPF administrative employees were accused of transferring about N$17,8 million to over 40 accounts entered fraudulently into the GIPF payment system last year.

According to media reports, the alleged fraudulent activities were unearthed after an inquiry was made by a certain GIPF member who claimed she did not receive her children’s pension for the 2019 school calendar.

Upon investigation, the GIPF unearthed that a host of payments were made to several accounts that do not belong to the annuitants or fund’s beneficiaries.

This 2022 case was provisionally removed from the roll after the state failed to conclude investigations within a reasonable time frame.

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