Telecom Namibia has placed its Chief Financial Officer, Mr Robert Offner, Head: Internal Audit & Risk Management and Head: Corporate Governance, Legal Services & Regulatory Affairs, Ms. Jinah Buys, on a precautionary suspension pending an investigation into allegations of a “FAKE 12 MILLION CANOCOPY CONTRACT” that appeared in a local newspaper recently.
Chief Financial Officer, Mr. Robert Offner was suspended on 26 September 2018, while Head of Internal Audit and Risk Management, Dr. Ben Van der Merwe and Head of Corporate Governance, Legal Services & Regulatory Affairs, Ms. Jinah Buys, were both suspended on 9 October 2018.
The Telecom Namibia executive management, whilst espousing the principle of the presumption of innocence, due to the seniority of the three executives and the seriousness of the matter under investigation, as well as in keeping with the provisions of the company’s Disciplinary Code, took a decision that it would be better for them to be suspended until the investigation is finalised.
The suspensions were done with the knowledge and full approval of the shareholder.