Van Wyk testifies about ‘incriminating documents’
Nigel van Wyk was in the hot seat in the Windhoek High Court yesterday as state prosecutor Hezekiel Iipinge peppered him with questions on his alleged involvement in “classic money laundering” in the Fishrot case.
This follows Iipinge’s questioning about N$100 000 that was paid into an account belonging to him by Oleya Investments.
To this, Van Wyk said he did not want to reveal what the payment was for, adding that he could not say for whose benefit this money was used.
He agreed that there is a “strong possibility” that these funds were used for the benefit of James Hatuikulipi and Sacky Shanghala.
Iipinge told Van Wyk that financial information he compiled could offer no explanation for this payment, and that the amount did not correspond to his salary of around N$31 000.
Van Wyk then responded that allegations of money laundering insinuate that he is hiding his crimes from the court.
“It is clear that I am not hiding anything. Someone who was involved in money laundering would not have provided a track record,” he said.
Following orders
“I wouldn’t have been able to conspire with Shanghala. I could only see him on weekdays for about 15 minutes at a time, and this was in the presence of the police,” Van Wyk testified yesterday.
Previously employed by former justice minister Shanghala, he now stands accused of removing incriminating documents from Shanghala’s house in Windhoek after his arrest in 2019.
Van Wyk, who faces a charge of defeating the course of justice, testified before Judge David Munsu that he did not know what the documents contained, adding that he wanted to take a bag that Shanghala “carried around everywhere” to his new office.
This after Shanghala had instructed him to get the office ready, he said.
He testified that he did not know what kind of business Shanghala wanted to run from the office, and said his former boss had not given him any information in that vein either.
“I knew what he wanted his office to look like,” Van Wyk testified.
Contrary testimony
On the bag Van Wyk removed from Shanghala’s home, Iipinge said: “It’s not a big bag, it can be easily carried around. Shanghala could have taken it to the new office himself”.
Iipinge explained to the court that on the day of his arrest, Van Wyk apparently told officers attached to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) that he was planning to take the bag to his own home.
According to him, this version is contrary to what Van Wyk testified in court yesterday.
This follows Iipinge’s questioning about N$100 000 that was paid into an account belonging to him by Oleya Investments.
To this, Van Wyk said he did not want to reveal what the payment was for, adding that he could not say for whose benefit this money was used.
He agreed that there is a “strong possibility” that these funds were used for the benefit of James Hatuikulipi and Sacky Shanghala.
Iipinge told Van Wyk that financial information he compiled could offer no explanation for this payment, and that the amount did not correspond to his salary of around N$31 000.
Van Wyk then responded that allegations of money laundering insinuate that he is hiding his crimes from the court.
“It is clear that I am not hiding anything. Someone who was involved in money laundering would not have provided a track record,” he said.
Following orders
“I wouldn’t have been able to conspire with Shanghala. I could only see him on weekdays for about 15 minutes at a time, and this was in the presence of the police,” Van Wyk testified yesterday.
Previously employed by former justice minister Shanghala, he now stands accused of removing incriminating documents from Shanghala’s house in Windhoek after his arrest in 2019.
Van Wyk, who faces a charge of defeating the course of justice, testified before Judge David Munsu that he did not know what the documents contained, adding that he wanted to take a bag that Shanghala “carried around everywhere” to his new office.
This after Shanghala had instructed him to get the office ready, he said.
He testified that he did not know what kind of business Shanghala wanted to run from the office, and said his former boss had not given him any information in that vein either.
“I knew what he wanted his office to look like,” Van Wyk testified.
Contrary testimony
On the bag Van Wyk removed from Shanghala’s home, Iipinge said: “It’s not a big bag, it can be easily carried around. Shanghala could have taken it to the new office himself”.
Iipinge explained to the court that on the day of his arrest, Van Wyk apparently told officers attached to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) that he was planning to take the bag to his own home.
According to him, this version is contrary to what Van Wyk testified in court yesterday.
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