A United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) protection officer at Osire Refugee Camp was denied bail following his court appearance on Monday over fraud allegations.  

Severinus Sainga faces charges of defrauding refugees of more than N$800,000.

The case has been postponed to February 2026.
The case follows allegations that a UNHCR official withdrew and pocketed funds from the MTC Maris cash assistance system intended for eligible refugees at Osire Camp.

It is alleged that more than a hundred refugee families have not received their financial assistance since January 2025.
Severinus Sainga faces one count of fraud for allegedly making large withdrawals of refugees' basic needs allowances between January and November 2025. 

As a result, affected families reportedly face severe living conditions, including food shortages.
Refugee representative Victor Afande says he conducted a personal investigation, supported by Closed Circuit TV (CCTV) footage, and opened a case against Sainga, which led to his arrest. 

The CCTV footage showed the protection officer conducting the transactions.
During the arrest, police allegedly confiscated an iPad and 10 SIM cards.

Investigators are now analysing a total of 17 SIM cards linked to the case, believed to belong to Sainga and his alleged accomplice.

Afande noted that Sainga allegedly claimed he had been authorised by beneficiaries who were unable to leave the camp to withdraw funds on their behalf. 
However, after Afande and the investigating detective contacted the listed beneficiaries, they denied giving Sainga permission to withdraw their money.  

"The guy said, Okay, sir, I have finished withdrawing the money. I want to come and give you the money. Where are you? He said, Oh, okay, you're finished. You have the money. You have the money? He said, Yes, okay, come to my house and give me the money. That's when the police also even recorded that small conversation. So we drove, and the police told him, Okay, just direct us to where Severinus is living. So we drove straight to Wanaheda, to his house. They entered the house, and they arrested Severinus," narrated Afande.

Afande further claims that some of the refugee families listed as beneficiaries had already been resettled and were no longer in Namibia. 
He says information obtained from the International Organization for Migration (IMO) confirms that several families whose names still appeared on beneficiary lists were no longer refugees at Osire camp at the time funds were allegedly withdrawn.