Iuze Mukube

Judge Moses Chinhengo informed the Fishrot accused yesterday that regardless of any difficulties they may encounter in securing legal representation, the trial must proceed as scheduled.

This was in response to ex-justice minister Sacky Shanghala expressing unreadiness to start the trial due to lack of legal representation.

Shanghala, one of the alleged masterminds behind the fishing quota scandal, bemoaned to Chinhengo that they are unable to acquire funds to hire lawyers, as they are blocked from accessing their seized assets. “We want access to the funds, but the Namibian Police and the Namibian Correctional Service are blocking us from meeting the curators for the release of some funds to hire lawyers,” he said.

He complained that if he were to obtain a lawyer now, he or she would still have to familiarise themselves with the case in a short period.

In response to Shanghala’s unreadiness, Chinhengo said the case must come to a finality to determine whether the accused will be acquitted or convicted.

He said this following his request for the parties to agree on a potential date for the trial to start, with the feasible option from the parties being August 2025. Addressing the legal representation issue, Chinhengo told the State that in two weeks, they must bring confirmation on an amicable resolution to solve the issue of Shanghala and his co-accused not getting funds from the seized assets for the hiring of lawyers.

He wants assurance from the State in the next court appearance that there is a possibility of an amicable resolution to the issue.

 If not, there is no way that the issue will be resolved in that manner.

He proceeded to postpone the matter to 25 February, saying: “the postponement will be for final direction for the continuation of the trial in this matter, especially the date of continuation”.

Shanghala and his co-accused, including Ricardo Gustavo, Bernhardt Esau, Tamson Hatuikulipi, Mike Nghipunya, Nigel van Wyk, Otneel Shuudifonya and Phillipus Mwapopi, face charges of corruption, fraud, racketeering and other offences linked to the Fishrot scandal. The charges stem from allegations that the accused helped the Icelandic fishing company, Samherji, gain access to Namibian fishing quotas through corrupt means.

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