Patience Makwele
A 161-page dossier submitted to the Security Commission months before the suspension of inspector general Joseph Shikongo contains allegations of corruption, criminal interference, intimidation and abuse of state institutions involving senior police officials, legal practitioners, business figures and members of the judiciary.
In the document, a letter, submitted on 15 April 2025 by Windhoek resident Joseph Nghilonguandunge Nakalemo, formally requested President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah and the Security Commission to remove Shikongo from office.
Earlier this week, Nandi-Ndaitwah appointed major general Anne-Marie Nainda as acting inspector general of the Namibian Police for one year, replacing Shikongo.
Nandi-Ndaitwah did not publicly provide reasons for the suspension.
The decision came days after a 29-year-old mentally unstable Giano Seibeb allegedly bypassed security and entered the presidential residence at State House last week.
Seibeb has since appeared in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court on charges, including trespassing and housebreaking, with the intent to commit an offence.
In his submission, Nakalemo accused Shikongo of presiding over what he described as a “well-organised and well-funded criminal operation” allegedly linked to attempts to silence him after he raised concerns over an alleged N$1.29 billion corruption case at the Mobile Telecommunications Limited (MTC) dating back to 2020.
In the same letter addressed to the chief of defence force Air Marshal Martin Pinehas, Nakalemo alleged that Shikongo committed “serious gross misconduct” linked to at least 10 criminal and civil matters involving alleged corruption, robbery, fraud, intimidation and attempted assassination.
“As per subject matter, I am here before the Commission, requesting the recommendation to be made to the President for the removal of the Inspector General of the Namibian Police, Lt Gen. Joseph Shimweelao Shikongo, from office,” Nakalemo wrote.
Nakalemo claims that he faced targeting after declining alleged bribery offers intended to silence him.
“I was approached to accept bribes to supposedly silence me, which I refused,” he wrote.
Among the central allegations is the claim that criminal cases were manipulated or closed to protect influential individuals.
Nakalemo alleges that police officers removed evidence from dockets, interfered with investigations and failed to act on reported crimes.
The document repeatedly links MTC’s managing director Licky Erastus and executive Tim Ekandjo to the alleged campaign against him.
Nakalemo claims his problems started after he raised concerns internally at MTC over alleged corruption.
According to the affidavit, Nakalemo alleges that after disciplinary proceedings failed to remove him from MTC, criminal complaints were opened against him.
“This case was registered by Maria Kavari herein, the second respondent in the case and this has been the same lady that selected MTC executives being used to fabricate cases against me,” he alleged.
Nakalemo also claims he survived several attempts on his life, including an alleged assassination plot in February 2024.
“The last factual attempt to have me assassinated took place on 20 February 2024,” the affidavit states.
Forgery and court manipulation allegations
The dossier also alleges that forged High Court documents facilitated the seizure of Nakalemo’s vehicles, including a Ford Ranger.
Copies of notices of attachment, writs of execution and alleged court orders are attached throughout the file.
Nakalemo alleges that the seizure was coordinated through manipulated court processes involving judicial officials, messengers of the court and police officers.
“The operation was carried out under the pretext of a fabricated High Court case with a forged court order.”
The dossier also contains allegations against several High Court officials and legal practitioners, accusing them of judicial irregularities and manipulating court outcomes.
In one section, Nakalemo alleges that court rulings were altered after proceedings had already taken place in open court.
“The supposed court order with the ruling by Justice Kobus Miller of 28 March 2024 in the High Court was changed by the registrar of the High Court,” he said.
The document further alleges that several legal practitioners feared representing him because of the prominence of the individuals implicated in the matter.
According to the document, Nakalemo escalated his concerns to several institutions, including the Presidency, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), the prosecutor general and the Ministry of Justice.
The attached correspondence shows letters sent to justice minister Fillemon Wise Immanuel and executive director Nghidinua Daniel in April 2025 requesting legal support and protection.
Political fallout and unanswered questions
The dossier also includes a press release circulated in March 2025 in which Nakalemo publicly accused Shikongo, Ekandjo and others of participating in a criminal syndicate involving corruption and abuse of state institutions.
“Therefore, based on the conspiracies and well-coordinated cases and their concerted efforts to manipulate and undermine the judicial system, I am respectfully placing it on record that Tim Ekandjo operates as part of a syndicate alongside the inspector general of the Namibian Police, Lt Gen. Joseph Shikongo,” he states.
Nakalemo said he filed urgent applications before the Supreme Court seeking protection and consolidation of multiple legal matters.
Among the requests before the court were calls for security protection and for certain judges to recuse themselves from matters involving his cases.
Nakalemo alleges throughout the dossier that state institutions have weaponised their power to intimidate and isolate him.
“We are not dealing with isolated incidents,” Nakalemo claims repeatedly, while describing what he calls a coordinated effort involving police, private individuals and court officials.
Many of the allegations remain untested in court. Several named individuals and institutions have not publicly responded to the claims contained in the dossier.
Political analyst Sakaria Johannes told the Windhoek Observer that the timing of the leadership change suggests the State House security breach may have accelerated an already existing political decision.
“The former inspector general was not appointed by the current president, and perhaps she felt it was time to appoint someone she has confidence in, because the Constitution gives the president that authority,” he said.
Johannes referred to Article 110 of the Constitution, which allows for the removal of senior officials in the public interest.
“Maybe she looked at the broader situation, including the recent incident, and decided it was in the public interest to make a leadership change,” he added.
Meanwhile, this week, Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) leader McHenry Venaani defended the President’s decision, saying she [Nandi-Ndaitwah] has constitutional authority to appoint and dismiss senior officials.
However, other political figures questioned whether constitutional procedures were properly followed before the suspension.
