The Namibia Revenue Agency (NamRA) says it has registered and investigated 113 cases of corruption between 2013 and 2023, with 54 of the cases being finalised and 55 ongoing.
Of the cases, three were closed and one was withdrawn.
The figures were revealed during the launch of the Integrity and Ethics Programme, in which NamRA seeks to sensitise employees on the adverse effects of corruption, malpractice and maladministration, including bribery, nepotism and conflict of interest.
The programme also aims to empower the workers and avoid falling into the trap of malpractice.
“I often receive messages from high-ranking persons including politicians to do favours for them, things which I do not tolerate and reject right away. Some ask to be assisted with job placements, and others with taxes. I do not condone such, thus if these things do happen to me as a Commissioner, it can also happen to any other staff member. That is why ethics and integrity are very important, hence everyone is required to uphold these standards,” said NamRA Commissioner Sam Shivute.
“Therefore, the moment you engage in corrupt activities, always think of the elderly and the poor who have no means to help themselves, because your dealings will derail the motive of collecting enough revenue in order to cater for the wider public through the provision of basic services.”
As a measure to curb corruption, NamRA requested all employees to declare their assets, followed by an inspection of the declared items or wealth.
“We are very serious about corruption, we know it is very difficult to eliminate rotten apples, but we shall strive towards rooting them out. As you may be aware, we have caught some employees who have transgressed, including individuals who tried to bribe our officials, something that you do not hear happening in many organisations,” Shivute said.
Meanwhile, NamRA’s Integrity Awareness and Investigation Specialist Haviety Chizabulyo implored fellow employees to always declare the gifts or gratuities they receive, while also enhancing transparency and accountability.
“Gifts are a first point of corruption, it starts with a brown envelope. The next thing the person wants is a favour, it may seem as a generous gesture but in essence, it’s not. Another issue I wish our employees to improve on is transparency. Many people do not know where and how to get certain services, and if it is not clear, they are likely to offer a fee for facilitation.
Therefore, it is our duty to ensure that we are transparent in whatever we do and offer so that we avoid clients entering through the backdoor,” she said.
Chizabulyo further highlighted technical challenges with the transition to the Automated System for Customs Data (ASYCUDA) world, and inconsistent application of customs procedures at border posts as some of the common corruption risks in customs and excise.
In addition, a lack of coordination across border agencies and increasing sophistication of the customs role, which does not tally with up-skilling, are other loopholes that exist.
“Meanwhile, lack of transparency and accountability, complex systems in applying policies, bureaucracy and insufficient resources, present corruption risks in domestic taxes. Therefore, these are all areas that need to be addressed, as we have some people who can sniff weakness if it is not possible.
In addition, we rely more on our information technology department, it is important for them to uphold the highest ethics and integrity as they manage our data. In the case that these people get tempted and sell the data, it is going to be a disaster,” she stressed.
