Fishrot accused back in court next month
Staff Reporter
THE Fishrot suspects will return to court on 17 June 2021 for a case management to decide on outstanding issues, High Court Judge Christie Liebenberg today ruled.
This decision was made during the appearance this morning of former fisheries minister Bernard Esau, his son-in-law Tamson ‘Fitty’ Hatuikulipi, former justice minister Sakeus Shanghala, former Fishcor board chairperson, James Hatuikulipi, sole director of Namgomar Pesca Namibia Ricardo Gustavo, former Fishcor CEO, Mike Nghipunya, the Hatuikulipis’ cousin, Pius Mwatelulo, employee of Shangula, Nigel van Wyk, as well as Phillipus Mwapopi and Otniel Shuundifonya.
The hearing on the state's joinder application will be heard on 12 July 2021.
State Advocate Ed Marondedze is applying for the joining of the Namgomar case and the Fishcor case.
Richard Metcalfe, who is representing Esau and Tamson, has requested for the list of witnesses, as he wants to know who he can and can’t talk to.
Marondedze said the list will be made available on 28 May 2021, together with the summary of substantial facts.
On 12 June, Metcalfe, who is not opposing the joinder application, will not be required to appear in court.
The Namgomar case directly implicates Gustavo, while the Fishcor case does not.
Allegations are that Namgomar Pesca Namibia was used to divert fishing quotas to Samherji.
Esau, the fisheries minister at the time, and Shanghala, who was the Chairperson of the Law Reform and Development Commission at the time, allegedly unlawfully entered into a signed memorandum and bilateral agreement with the former fisheries minister of Angola, Victoria de Barros, as well as her son, Joao.
The scheme allegedly allowed for the suspects to allocate themselves fishing quotas via Namgomar Pesca Angola and Namgomar Pesca Namibia.
Nghipunya, van Wyk, Mwapopi and Otniel Shuundifonya are not part of the Namgomar case, although they are part of the Fishcor case.
They were only arrested in 2020, while the rest were arrested in November 2019.
In the Fishcor matter, which includes all the suspects except Gustavo, Nghipunya is accused of being involved in the payment of about N$75,6 million from Fishcor, which is believed to be part of a grand corruption scheme involving around N$2 billion orchestrated by the former ministers, their cronies and business partners.
Today, James Diedericks, who is representing Shanghala and James, requested for more time to study the documents and decide whether or not to oppose the state's joinder application.
Both matters will return to court on 17 June 2021.
