Officials point fingers over Council fraud at Keetmans

IN THE face of a public outcry, the Keetmanshoop Town Council says it would be impossible to suspend finance department employees who failed to detect the embezzlement of over N$700 000.

The theft was allegedly committed by a cashier between January and July. The cashier, Tommy Coleman (23), has been charged with fraud and was denied bail when he appeared in the Keetmanshoop Magistrate’s Court.At a media briefing yesterday, Mayor Finna Elago said the Council was cautious to suspend an official just for the sake of doing it.”On the other hand, our view on suspension is that we do not suspend staff members if it [their presence] is not seen to be interfering with investigators because it is a waste of money,” she said.Elago also said that the municipality was already understaffed and had to be cautious about suspensions.Elago added that Ingrid Coleman had been moved to another department pending the Police investigation.It also emerged yesterday that the Council had not yet launched an internal investigation into the alleged theft.Elago also slammed Councillor Moses Titus about statements he made to The Namibian.In an earlier interview, Titus said he walked out of a Council meeting after his demands to suspend Coleman’s immediate supervisor, Ingrid Coleman, were shot down by the Council.He claimed that the town’s CEO, Jeremia Shangadi, told the meeting that Ingrid Coleman was the only one who could deal with the municipality’s payroll.Titus said he accused Shangadi and Ingrid Coleman of gross negligence and asked them to resign voluntarily.But Mayor Elago denied that this had happened.”Councillor Titus did not walk out of the meeting.It is also a lie that Councillor Titus suggested the suspension of the CEO,” she said.Titus, who attended yesterday’s press conference, distanced himself from the Mayor’s statement, claiming that Council had not endorsed it.”I’ve been through this kind of intimidation for a very long time,” Titus said angrily before he walked out of the press conference.Elago also took a swipe at CEO Shangadi and Councillor Johannes Coleman – the cashier’s father.Shangadi should be held equally responsible, regardless of who committed the theft, since he was the accounting officer, Elago said.She added that the Council’s Management Committee was to blame too for not noticing the fraud, as they received financial reports every month.”The public needs to realise that the accused is the son of the Chairperson of the Management Committee, Councillor Coleman.It is my opinion that as parent he should have noted the difference in the lifestyle of his son well before anyone else,” she said.The cashier, Tommy Coleman (23), has been charged with fraud and was denied bail when he appeared in the Keetmanshoop Magistrate’s Court.At a media briefing yesterday, Mayor Finna Elago said the Council was cautious to suspend an official just for the sake of doing it.”On the other hand, our view on suspension is that we do not suspend staff members if it [their presence] is not seen to be interfering with investigators because it is a waste of money,” she said.Elago also said that the municipality was already understaffed and had to be cautious about suspensions.Elago added that Ingrid Coleman had been moved to another department pending the Police investigation.It also emerged yesterday that the Council had not yet launched an internal investigation into the alleged theft.Elago also slammed Councillor Moses Titus about statements he made to The Namibian.In an earlier interview, Titus said he walked out of a Council meeting after his demands to suspend Coleman’s immediate supervisor, Ingrid Coleman, were shot down by the Council.He claimed that the town’s CEO, Jeremia Shangadi, told the meeting that Ingrid Coleman was the only one who could deal with the municipality’s payroll.Titus said he accused Shangadi and Ingrid Coleman of gross negligence and asked them to resign voluntarily.But Mayor Elago denied that this had happened.”Councillor Titus did not walk out of the meeting.It is also a lie that Councillor Titus suggested the suspension of the CEO,” she said.Titus, who attended yesterday’s press conference, distanced himself from the Mayor’s statement, claiming that Council had not endorsed it.”I’ve been through this kind of intimidation for a very long time,” Titus said angrily before he walked out of the press conference.Elago also took a swipe at CEO Shangadi and Councillor Johannes Coleman – the cashier’s father.Shangadi should be held equally responsible, regardless of who committed the theft, since he was the accounting officer, Elago said.She added that the Council’s Management Committee was to blame too for not noticing the fraud, as they received financial reports every month.”The public needs to realise that the accused is the son of the Chairperson of the Management Committee, Councillor Coleman.It is my opinion that as parent he should have noted the difference in the lifestyle of his son well before anyone else,” she said.