The State has accused those implicated in the multi-million-dollar fisheries bribery scandal of having contributed to the country’s economic demise.
“They (accused) have killed the economy. They directly contributed to the demise of the country’s economy,” stated prosecutor Cliff Lutibezi.
Lutibezi said this during his oral submissions for a bail application in which one of the Fishrot accused, Ricardo Gustavo, is the applicant in the matter.
Gustavo, who is a former Investec Asset Management Namibia senior manager and director of Namgomar Pesca Namibia, is charged alongside former fisheries minister Bernhard Esau (61), former minister of justice Sacky Shanghala (42), former Investec Namibia managing director James Hatuikulipi (44), Esau’s son-in-law Tamson Hatuikulipi (38) and Pius ‘Taxa’ Mwatelulo (31).
The group faces multiple counts of fraud, bribery, corruptly using office for gratification, money laundering and conspiring to commit corruption.