Ithana warns corrupt officials

OPUWO – Minister of Justice Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana has encouraged her staff to serve the Namibian people with dedication and desist from corrupt practices.

“For those who make themselves guilty of engaging in acts of dishonesty such as the theft of bail and maintenance monies, or where staff are engaged by accused persons to arrange bail without proper procedures being followed and accepting bribes from such accused persons, I urge such staff members to desist from such conduct,” she warned. Iivula-Ithana, who is also the Attorney General, was speaking at the inauguration of the N$6,3 million Opuwo Magistrate’s Court.The courthouse was inaugurated by President Hifikepunye Pohamba.She warned that she would not hesitate to denounce the perpetrators of such crimes in public.”My office also received complaints from the public on how the officials treat them – subjecting the people to long queues while attending to their private matters,” she said.She said that cases should not be postponed because the prosecutor, magistrate or interpreter is busy attending to personal matters.”Such conduct is not in line with the delivery-of-service culture our Public Service Charter seeks to imbue in members of the civil service,” the Minister said.The citizens deserved a justice system they could respect and Namibia had gone a long way towards creating such a justice system, she said.”It is our duty as civil servants to deliver that and maintain what has thus far been built, and I am not only referring to the building, which I expect to be around at the turn of the century, but also the institutional ethos of professionalism, integrity and justice.”- NampaIivula-Ithana, who is also the Attorney General, was speaking at the inauguration of the N$6,3 million Opuwo Magistrate’s Court.The courthouse was inaugurated by President Hifikepunye Pohamba.She warned that she would not hesitate to denounce the perpetrators of such crimes in public.”My office also received complaints from the public on how the officials treat them – subjecting the people to long queues while attending to their private matters,” she said.She said that cases should not be postponed because the prosecutor, magistrate or interpreter is busy attending to personal matters.”Such conduct is not in line with the delivery-of-service culture our Public Service Charter seeks to imbue in members of the civil service,” the Minister said.The citizens deserved a justice system they could respect and Namibia had gone a long way towards creating such a justice system, she said.”It is our duty as civil servants to deliver that and maintain what has thus far been built, and I am not only referring to the building, which I expect to be around at the turn of the century, but also the institutional ethos of professionalism, integrity and justice.”- Nampa