Obrein Simasiku
The Anti-Corruption Commission had absolved the former City of Windhoek councillor Desiree David of any corruption related accusations while serving on the Local Authority.
“Investigation could not yield evidence proving that Ms David abused her position or that her application was treated differently from that of other councillors, who had previously applied and allocated erfs [sic]” read the ACC statement issued today.
“Therefore, there is no evidence that warrants submission of the docket to the Prosecutor-General for decision to prosecute, and therefore the case file is closed.”
David a former member of Independence Patriots for Change was suspended and eventually dismissed from council and the party, amid corruption allegation when they surfaced.
It was alleged that, David had in 2021 corruptly used her position as a councillor to fast track her application for an erf in Rocky Crest, Windhoek. It was further stated that she used the letterhead of the office of the Mayor and including officials when applying, a scenario that created an impression that such application carried the blessings of the Mayor.
However, the ACC investigations established that, “councillor David applied for an erf like any other council member with a letterhead of the Mayor. Therefore, Davids was not the first councillor to apply using the letterhead of the Mayor. And the provisions of paragraph 17 of council resolution 342/02/2012, provides council members with the preference to apply for the sale of the land by private treaty, provided that ministerial approval is obtained,” stressed the ACC.
Absolving her, the ACC further found out that the erf in question was abandoned after the previous party bought a house in Ludwigdorf. The previous owner had also failed to pay the requisite N$30 000 deposit despite having been given sufficient time to do so. “This made the erf accessible to councillor David,” reveals the investigation.
On that basis, ACC concluded that there was no justification to unnecessarily delay the application.
David had bought the plot for N$377 000, aiding suspicions that she got preferential treatment, as her application was attended to within a month.
After that she was suspended and withdrawn from council after IPC instituted an investigation. Despite this, David remained steadfast claiming innocence, but her luck however ran out as she was eventually expelled from the party. Reasons were that she influenced fellow councillors to expedite her land application
