Former top cop claims unfair dismissal

Former Otjozondjupa regional crime investigation coordinator, deputy commissioner Godfried #Khariseb, has filed a High Court application to challenge his dismissal from the force, and is demanding his reinstatement.#Khariseb was dismissed on allegations that he has been absent from work from 18 January 2016 to 3 March 2016, the day he received his discharge letter from inspector-general Sebastian Ndeitunga. He claims he has not been paid his salary or any other accrued benefits, including his pension, since the day of this dismissal. #Khariseb denies the allegations that he had failed to report for duty after his annual leave had lapsed in January, claiming that Ndeitunga has so far failed to provide any evidence to the contrary.He claims Ndeitunga wanted him “out of the job” and that his superiors wanted to “punish” him for unknown reasons. #Khariseb, a veteran career police officer and former divisional head of the commercial crime investigation unit at the Windhoek police headquarters, was transferred to Otjozondjupa on 26 July 2014. In his court application #Khariseb claims to have reported for duty to commissioner Joseph Anghuwo at the Otjiwarongo police headquarters on 12 January 2015 and since then he has only absented himself from duty when granted authorisation by Ndeitunga.#Khariseb, however, claims that he has been made to feel unwelcome from the first day he set foot at the office. He claims he was never introduced to any fellow police officers, was never given an office or office equipment or furniture to work from. He further claims he was never introduced to officers who were supposed to report to him or to eminent persons such as the administrative or political leadership of the region. #Khariseb further stated that he was never given any official briefing of important focus investigations in the region or any handover of responsibilities, as would have been expected for a ranked official such as himself at the time.Despite all this, he claims he reported for duty every day. Commissioner Anghuwo retired towards the end of 2015 and was replaced by commissioner Armas Shivute.#Khariseb claims that commissioner Shivute had promised to write to Ndeitunga to request his intervention in the matter, but he says the situation remained unchanged.He claims that Shivute held official meetings at his official residence with senior regional staff members when he [Shivute] first arrived as regional head of the police. #Khariseb wrote an appeal to safety and security minister Charles Namoloh on 25 April 2015, but this was dismissed in December 2016, allegedly without any reasons provided.He said at least eight other officers have vouched that he was on duty during the period he was allegedly absent, and stated that other officers were too scared to give sworn affidavits to that effect, for fear of victimisation.Ndeitunga in his answering affidavit said there is no evidence that #Khariseb had performed his official duties and that he had failed to institute legal proceedings within the requisite 12-month period after his dismissal. Ndeitunga also denied the allegation that #Khariseb was not welcomed by staff at the Otjiwarongo police headquarters, claiming he was met by two staff officers, retired deputy commissioner Deon Marais and deputy commissioner Katrina Andreas.Ndeitunga further stated that #Khariseb had refused to occupy an office offered to him and declined to perform his official duties, which he should have done whether or not he was introduced to eminent persons in the region.He said #Khariseb should also have taken it upon himself to engage his staff officers and that there could not have been a handover of duties because he had been transferred to a position that had been vacant. Ndeitunga said the fact that #Khariseb was “in the vicinity” of the police head office does not mean that he has performed his duties.Furthermore, Ndeitunga said #Khariseb ought to have prepared an inventory of all the work he found in the office and should have taken this up with his superiors.The police chief added that #Khariseb had never claimed his benefits, as is required upon dismissal. A date for the court hearing is yet to be set. Catherine Sasman

Former top cop claims unfair dismissal

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Namibian Sun 2024-12-25

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Former top cop claims unfair dismissal

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Namibian Sun 2024-12-25

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