Official in court over payroll fraud

AN official who dealt with salaries in the Khomas Regional Council will appear in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court today on fraud charges.

Jacqueline Hanze (32) is charged with defrauding the Khomas Regional Council by inflating salaries of staff members and pocketing at least N$10 000 a month for herself. The final amount being investigated could be as much as N$200 000, sources told The Namibian earlier.Hanze is out on bail of N$5 000.Sources said Hanze went on ‘sick leave’ for two weeks in July this year and the auditors came across the information while she was away.When she realised that investigations were being conducted and that she was about to be arrested, sources alleged, she did not report back for work.Police subsequently issued a plea for anyone who knew her whereabouts to contact them.Hanze handed herself over to the Police after her details where screened on national television.In terms of her bail conditions, she had to hand in all her travel documents and report at the Windhoek Police Station on Mondays between 9h00 and 10h00.She is also not allowed to leave the Windhoek district without the permission of the investigating officer and may not interfere with Police investigations or the witnesses.The final amount being investigated could be as much as N$200 000, sources told The Namibian earlier.Hanze is out on bail of N$5 000.Sources said Hanze went on ‘sick leave’ for two weeks in July this year and the auditors came across the information while she was away.When she realised that investigations were being conducted and that she was about to be arrested, sources alleged, she did not report back for work.Police subsequently issued a plea for anyone who knew her whereabouts to contact them.Hanze handed herself over to the Police after her details where screened on national television.In terms of her bail conditions, she had to hand in all her travel documents and report at the Windhoek Police Station on Mondays between 9h00 and 10h00.She is also not allowed to leave the Windhoek district without the permission of the investigating officer and may not interfere with Police investigations or the witnesses.