Arrested Karasburg council members to submit bail application

• By Martha Nangombe

TWO Karasburg Town Councillors and a staff member were remanded in custody after they appeared in the Karasburg Magistrates Court on Tuesday following an arrest by the Anti-Corruption Commission.
Karasburg mayor Maria Veldskoen, town management committee chairperson Franciscus Skeyer, and acting chief executive officer (CEO) Hansina Isaacks appeared before Magistrate Samingo Kasaona while Prosecutor Esther Japhet represented the state.
The trio are expected to submit their formal bail application on October 6.

They are charged with at least two counts of corruption.
Last month, ACC officials raided the Karasburg council offices as part of an investigation into council dealings.
The council has been embroiled in a public standoff with the Urban and Rural Development Minister, Erastus Uutoni, following accusations of illegal appointments and other maladministration issues at the council.

The Karasburg Town Council is dominated by the Landless People’s Movement with four seats, while the Swapo Party holds two seats and the Independent Patriots for Change has one seat.
Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Director General Paulus Noah said the arrested council members defied local authority governing law.

Noah said Karasburg councillors and their cohorts acted in defiance of laws governing local authorities.
“They acted believing that their decisions must be implemented, no matter how unlawful,” he said.

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