Stefanus Nashama
Namibian College of Open Learning (NAMCOL), has opened a criminal case with the Namibian Police against one of former employees over N$305,770.00 that went missing from the institution.
Last week, Windhoek Observer reported that NAMCOL Chief Executive Officer, Heroldt Murangi, admitted to an ongoing internal investigation of misappropriated funds at the institution, and promised to provide a full report on the matter.
However, yesterday NAMCOL Public Relations Officer, Laimi Mbago, issued a statement saying that a criminal case has been opened with the Police, which is evidence of NAMCOL’s commitment to upholding zero-tolerance for theft, fraud and corruption.
She said NAMCOL did not cover up the matter as it was reported in the media but they were waiting for the conclusion of internal investigations, and the employee in question has since resigned.
“We vehemently deny any allegation or insinuation of a cover-up. In the meanwhile, it is worth noting that the staff member implicated in the alleged wrongdoing has voluntarily resigned and signed an acknowledgement of debt, which paves the way for the recovery of the misappropriated funds,” said Mbago.
She added that NAMCOL recognises the importance of maintaining public trust and ensuring the responsible use of public funds dedicated to the advancement of education and training. Therefore, upon learning of the allegations through its own internal structures, the institution initiated internal investigations to determine the veracity of the claims, and preliminary findings suggest a sum of N$305,770.00 may have been misappropriated.
“To ensure the integrity and impartiality of the investigation process, NAMCOL is planning to engage the services of external independent auditors, who will conduct a comprehensive review of the financial records and transactions related to the alleged incident.
NAMCOL remains resolute in its dedication to its mission of providing accessible and quality education to all Namibians. NAMCOL assures its stakeholders, partners and the public at large that every necessary step has been taken to address this incident swiftly, fairly and transparently,” she explained.
