Martin Endjala
A criminal record will hound you for live even after completing your prison sentence which is supposed to have rehabilitated you. Shikwambi appeared on a programme on conditional release and police clearance processes.
She said that there is often a misconception between a conduct certificate and a criminal record.
Every citizen, she said, should always take it upon themselves to apply for a conduct certificate in case a prospective employer wants such a reference.
A certificate of conduct is to ascertain if a person has a criminal record or not.
The police spokesperson clarified that if your current conduct certificate is dated 2008, the person requiring you present the certificate would want to know what you had been doing since then.
‘’Therefore, you will be required to apply for a fresh one.’’
Hence, those who wish to apply for a conduct certificate, are advised to visit their nearest police stations and provide their identification card and a fee of N$100.
“Your fingerprints are then taken, and loaded into the database, via an e-poll automated fingerprint machine that then sends your fingerprints to the criminal data bureau and you get your results right there and if you have a criminal record, it will be put onto your conduct certificate”, said Shikwambi.
She highlighted that, the process of getting a criminal record is when one gets arrested, charged, appear in court and convicted, resulting in a criminal record, adding you to the criminal database.
The spokesperson is calling on the youth to reframe from criminal activities, which a very destructive. ‘’A criminal record has repercussions and it is very regrettable to an individual. Best thing to do is to stay away from criminality,” she advised.
The deputy commissioner further explained that it is not always that one is issued with a criminal record and that you can also get away with a fine or a warning.
Deputy Commissioner Shikwambi urged Namibians to be law abiding citizens to avoid getting a criminal record, or if they think they were wrongly convicted to apply for a review of their case.
