Staff Reporter
A RECENTLY released annual report of the Namibian Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has revealed that during the 2024/2025 financial year, the most reported forms of corruption relate to abuse of power, bribery, abuse of public resources, tender irregularities, and irregularities in recruitment.
Whistle-blowers continued mainly reporting cases of abuse of power, with 45% of corruption reports in the 2024/2025 FY attesting to this fact.
Since 2006, the ACC has submitted 822 cases to the PG for decision. Of these, the PG decided to prosecute 596 cases. Accordingly, 415 have been finalised in court (256 cases resulted in a conviction, 159 cases resulted in acquittal/withdrawal of charges), whilst 183 are still pending in court. In 107 cases the PG declined to prosecute. A total of 5 cases were referred to the Namibian Police, meanwhile 114 cases are pending PG decision.
Justine Kanyangela, Head of the Investigations Division, in the annual report stated that during the year under review (2024/2025), a total number of 127 cases were registered with the ACC and that (67) cases were investigated, fifty (50) were declined for a variety of reasons, including lack of substance, vague information, and/or unfounded allegations, and ten (10) were referred to other institutions, as they do not fall within the mandate of the Commission.
The Head Office in Windhoek received the highest number of cases (73), which represent 57% of all cases received during the 2024/2025 FY. The Oshana Regional Office received (16), representing 13%, the Erongo Regional Office received (15) cases representing 12%, the newly established North-East Regional Office received (14) cases representing 11%, while the Otjozondjupa Regional Office received the least with a total of nine (9), representing 7% of all cases received during the 2024/2025 FY.
Out of (68) cases investigated, (3) were referred to the Prosecutor-General for a decision in terms of Section 31(1) of the Anti-Corruption Act, 2003. Nine (9) cases were closed after investigation due to unfounded allegations. Meanwhile, 56 cases are still under investigation.
During the financial year under review, a total of twenty-four (24) cases were referred to the PG for a decision. Out of the twenty-four (24) case dockets referred to the PG for decision, one (1) case was for the period under review, whilst twenty-three (23) were backlogged cases. Of the twenty-four (24) case dockets submitted to the PG, two (2) cases are currently before court, two (2) cases were referred back to the Commission to comply with further instructions, and twenty (20) cases are still awaiting the PG’s decision.
Picture for illustrative purposes only. Photo: ACC
