Becker’s contract extended beyond retirement
Namibian Police Commissioner Nelius Becker, one of the country’s most decorated detectives, will remain in his post beyond the mandatory retirement age of 60, Inspector General Joseph Shikongo has confirmed.
Shikongo told Namibian Sun this week that Becker’s contract will be extended by one year, until March 2027.
“We are not going to advertise his position upon retirement. I am extending his contract for another year while we identify a replacement. His replacement will be done through internal recruitment,” Shikongo said.
Becker, who heads the National Forensic Science Institute of Namibia (NFSI), turns 60 on Friday — the official retirement age for public servants.
A function is expected to be held at the NFSI headquarters to mark the occasion.
Shikongo explained that positions at this level are not typically advertised publicly, with appointments usually made internally.
He said this approach has long been standard practice, pointing to Becker’s own appointment as head of the NFSI.
“If you look at the way he was appointed to that position, he did not apply for it. The former inspector general simply appointed him,” Shikongo said.
Career marked by high-profile cases
Becker’s career spans some of Namibia’s most high-profile criminal investigations. He rose through the ranks to lead the Namibian Police’s Serious Crime Unit before moving to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), where he served as chief of investigation and prosecution.
In August 2019, he returned to the Namibian Police to head the Criminal Investigations Directorate. Within two months, he led the arrests of former ministers Sacky Shanghala and Bernhard Esau in the Fishrot corruption scandal — one of Namibia’s largest graft cases.
Becker was also involved in aspects of investigations linked to the cross-border Phala Phala saga, particularly in tracing financial flows and potential Namibian connections to the matter involving undeclared foreign currency. His work contributed to regional cooperation efforts between Namibian and South African authorities as investigators examined whether any proceeds or transactions had links to Namibia.
Becker produced an explosive police intelligence report detailing the role allegedly played by suspects in the Phala Phala scandal. His report is the most revealing into the saga that transcended the two neighbouring countries.
His tenure at the helm of criminal investigations was, however, short-lived. In 2020, he was controversially transferred to lead the NFSI. At the time, insiders suggested the move was linked to his push for further arrests in the Fishrot matter targeting senior public figures — claims authorities denied.
