Oshikoto Regional police spokesperson Ellen Nehale has urged the youth to not ruin their Certificates of Conduct because it will negatively affect them when applying at either the Namibian Police Force (NamPol), Namibian Defence Force (NDF) or Namibian Correctional Service (NCS).

Nehale said this during the Literacy Day celebration at Olukonda on Friday.

“If you happen to commit a crime, the police would record the criminal offences that will then be your Certificate of Conduct and nobody will clear it from you. The certificate of conduct will remain with you until such a time when you want to apply for a serious job. It will tarnish and cut your life short as nobody wants to recruit a criminal,” he said.

Silas Shipanga is one of many victims who regrets the criminal offences. He was turned down by the NDF for not having a good Code of Conduct.

“I applied for NDF in 2016 and got shortlisted, but then at the final recruitment stages, they told me that my Certificate of Conduct is bad, because of the offences I committed in the past,” said Shipanga.

Shipanga said he never knew his past would haunt him now, he advised the youth “to stop messing around so they are not going to regret it in future”.

Immanuel Hangula was turned down by a security company for having ruined his Certificate of Conduct.

“I applied for a security job in Walvis Bay and they asked for my Code of Conduct. I did not know that it would end this way. I have changed now. I do not steal anymore,” said Hangula.

Hangula has been unemployed for six years now, saying he regretted his past actions for having impacted his life.

“It seems like every job I apply, for requires a Code of Conduct. I tried applying everywhere and I am still looking for any kind of job because things are really difficult now,” he said.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency