By: Justicia Shipena
Omaruru constituency councillor Ernest Wetha has been accused of double dipping council finances when taking trips.
According to sources who spoke to The Villager, Wetha would use the municipality’s vehicle to take trips but still claims S&T money on the council’s ticket.
The sources within the council said the regional councillors receive car and fuel allowance.
“Councilors receive car allowances, whereby you must buy your car it is a must. You have the choice of buying the car or not. You can buy a car costing N$7 000 per month or a luxurious car,” a source said.
They claim that Wetha did not buy a car and has resorted to illegal activities when it comes to travelling.
“His old car is very old and is giving trouble like now it is no longer driving, but I don’t know what is going on. He has resorted to something illegal. He has befriended the mayor of Omaruru and the chairperson of the town. Now they are showing up together at every event inside and outside the Erongo region,” a source narrates in an interview with The Villager this week.
They further said that Wetha is fooling the council in this regard.
“It’s a lie! He is not driving. Another issue is that one should arrive the day before the trip, but he does not do that. He will not come a day before, but he will claim the money as if he came or arrived early and claimed the hotel and petrol money and while he did not know sleep in Swakop.”
Sources said that councillor Wetha had been allegedly doing this for three years.
“It does not look good because it’s like he is benefiting from something you are not supposed to do. He has been doing this for almost three years,” another said.
By looking at this, the source said the issue has not to be addressed in the regional council.
“It does not look good to me because he has a transport allowance. He claims approximately more than N$2 000 per trip. It happens several times,” they stressed.
When The Villager reached out to Wetha, he denied any wrongdoing.
“I have my own car, and I travel with my car. I don’t use the municipality cars, only locally the mayor invites me to go to functions then I travel with him,” said Wetha.
Wetha said when he travels out of town, he usually travels to regional council engagements, not municipality engagements.
“If they have proof, they can show it. If they have evidence, they must go to ACC and prove it. I’m not sacred.”
In November last year, Wetha was accused of using an entrepreneur’s personal details to obtain a N$60 000 sponsorship for constructing a safe house and a solar water system in Omaruru.
At that time, businessman Soini Andreas alleged Wetha approached him in June last year for a quotation to Erongo RED, where Wetha previously served as a board member.
However, at that time, Wetha said he did not ask Andreas for a quote.
