Customize Consent Preferences

We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions. You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below.

The cookies that are categorized as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site. ... 

Always Active

Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site, such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data.

No cookies to display.

Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collecting feedback, and other third-party features.

No cookies to display.

Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.

No cookies to display.

Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.

No cookies to display.

Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns.

No cookies to display.

Fishrot trial to start today

Home National Fishrot trial to start today
Fishrot trial to start today

The much-anticipated fish corruption trial of key figures in the Namibian society is set to start this morning if everything runs smoothly.

The trial, dubbed ‘Fishrot’, involves former Cabinet ministers Bernardt Esau and Sacky Shanghala as well as several top businessmen. 

It will start with the plea at 10h00 before acting High Court Judge Moses Chinhengo, who was seconded from the Zimbabwe circuit. 

While several of the accused indicated they were not ready for trial, Judge Chinhengo was adamant the trial should start soonest. 

The accused, who also include Ricardo Gustavo, James Hatuikulipi, Pius Mwatelulo, Tamson Hatuikulipi, former Fishcor CEO Mike Nghipunya, Otneel Shuudifonya, Phillipus Mwapopi and Nigel van Wyk, are charged with corruptly receiving payments of at least N$300 million to give a competitive advantage to Icelandic fishing company Samherji in securing access to horse mackerel quotas in Namibia. 

They are facing more than 40 counts, comprising racketeering, contravening the Anti-Corruption Act, conspiracy, corruptly using an office to receive gratification, fraud, theft and money laundering, as well as defeating or obstructing the course of justice. 

Esau is represented by Florin Beukes; James, Shanghala and Mwatelulo by Vas Soni (SC), instructed by Murorua, Kurz and Kasper; Nghipunya, Shuudifonya and Mwapopi by Milton Engelbrecht, and Tamson and van Wyk by Mbanga Siyomunji. 

Gustavo is representing himself.  

The State will be represented by advocate Cliff Lutibezi, assisted by advocates Ed Marondedze and Esekiel Ipinge. 

Also on the list of people to be added to the arraignment is lawyer Marén de Klerk, who is charged as a representative of Celax Investments, which was allegedly used as the conduit to funnel millions of dollars from Fishcor to the bank accounts of the accused.  The State is yet to extradite De Klerk from South Africa, as well as Icelandic nationals Egill Helgi Arnason, Ingvar Juliusson and Helgason Adelsteinn. 

 – rrouth@nepc.com.na