Oshakati official addresses missing funds

Oshakati's council CEO Werner Iita has refuted allegations that the local authority cannot account for more than US$1m from its coffers. The Namibian reports that he claimed the funds which could not be traced by auditors was paid to the Development Bank of Namibia (DBN) as a loan repayment on 11 May 2017. This was for a loan that the council acquired to service land in Oshakati. During a public hearing conducted by the parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Accounts last month, the council's management failed to explain how the money became untraceable. Iita said council has since rectified the matter. However, committee chairperson Peter Kazongominja said the council failed to provide proof to the auditors before auditing and Iita 'is still expected to be summoned to Windhoek'.