Kawana grilled on Fishrot
Kawana grilled on Fishrot

Kawana grilled on Fishrot

MPs have expressed scepticism over acting fisheries minister Albert Kawana's investigation into alleged corruption and nepotism in the sector.
NAMPA
Questions relating to the Fishrot saga, which has landed former lawmakers and businessmen behind bars, dominated debates in the National Assembly on Tuesday.

First to take on acting fisheries minister Albert Kawana was Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP)MP leader Mike Kavekotora who questioned how N$17.5 million was transferred from state-owned Fishcor to law firm Sisa Namandje Incorporated's trust account.

The Namibian reported last week that around N$7 million of the N$17.5 million transferred from Fishcor into the law firm's trust account ended up being paid to businessman Vaino Nghipondoka.

“These are all public funds gone to waste,” Kavekotora lamented, saying Fischor's board of directors who sanctioned these payments must be held liable and accountable.

The payments were reportedly made in 2015 and 2017.

“Was the board aware of all the N$17.5 million paid from Fishcor into Sisa Namandje's trust account, and if yes, what was the payment for?” he asked.

Fishcor's directors at the time were its suspended CEO Mike Nghipunya, James Hatuikulipi, Benneth Kangumu, Ndaendomwenyo Sheya, Ohangwena governor Usko Nghaamwa, Kavango West governor Sirkka Ausiku and fisheries executive director Moses Maurihungirire.

“What competencies made each one of them uniquely qualified to be appointed as Fishcor board members?” Kavekotora asked Kawana.

“What role did the board play in all these fraudulent transactions that took place during their term in office?”

Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) MP Nico Smit wanted to know how far Kawana's investigation into the fishing sector had gotten.

Late last year, President Hage Geingob directed Kawana to investigate alleged corruption and nepotism in the sector.

Smit was sceptical about Kawana.

“How can a colleague of the disgraced [former] minister [Bernhardt Esau (fisheries) and Sacky Shanghala (justice)] and a member of Cabinet be tasked with investigating this matter? Can you believe that? More and more information has seen the light regarding this scandalous theft from the Namibian people, yet nothing has been heard about Dr Kawana's investigation,” he lamented.

Last year, Shanghala and Esau were forced to relinquish their Cabinet positions amid allegations of corruption and money-laundering.

Esau and Shanghala stand accused of receiving bribes in return for giving preferential access to Namibia's rich fishing grounds to Iceland seafood company Samherji. It is alleged that the politicians and their cronies pocketed at least N$150 million in kickbacks over four years.

The former ministers remain behind bars along with four co-accused.

NAMPA

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Namibian Sun 2024-03-28

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Nam 2.22 SAME | Oryx Properties Ltd 12.1 UP 1.70% | Paratus Namibia Holdings 11.99 SAME | SBN Holdings 8.45 SAME | Trustco Group Holdings Ltd 0.48 SAME | B2Gold Corporation 47.34 DOWN 1.50% | Local Index closed 677.62 UP 0.12% | Overall Index closed 1534.6 DOWN 0.05% | Osino Resources Corp 19.47 DOWN 2.41% | Commodities: Gold US$ 2 212.55/OZ UP +1.00% | Copper US$ 3.97/lb DOWN -0.0038 | Zinc US$ 2 439.40/T DOWN -0.7% | Brent Crude Oil US$ 87.21/BBP UP +0.95% | Platinum US$ 897.74/OZ UP +0.32% Sport results: Weather: Katima Mulilo: 19° | 37° Rundu: 17° | 33° Eenhana: 18° | 33° Oshakati: 20° | 31° Ruacana: 19° | 33° Tsumeb: 17° | 29° Otjiwarongo: 16° | 28° Omaruru: 18° | 31° Windhoek: 17° | 28° Gobabis: 17° | 28° Henties Bay: 16° | 19° Wind speed: 24km/h, Wind direction: S, Low tide: 10:54, High tide: 04:57, Low Tide: 22:58, High tide: 17:16 Swakopmund: 15° | 17° Wind speed: 29km/h, Wind direction: SW, Low tide: 10:52, High tide: 04:55, Low Tide: 22:56, High tide: 17:14 Walvis Bay: 16° | 22° Wind speed: 33km/h, Wind direction: SW, Low tide: 10:52, High tide: 04:54, Low Tide: 22:56, High tide: 17:13 Rehoboth: 18° | 29° Mariental: 22° | 32° Keetmanshoop: 21° | 34° Aranos: 21° | 31° Lüderitz: 15° | 29° Ariamsvlei: 23° | 34° Oranjemund: 15° | 21° Luanda: 27° | 30° Gaborone: 20° | 32° Lubumbashi: 17° | 24° Mbabane: 15° | 23° Maseru: 12° | 28° Antananarivo: 16° | 27° Lilongwe: 17° | 29° Maputo: 20° | 28° Windhoek: 17° | 28° Cape Town: 17° | 23° Durban: 21° | 25° Johannesburg: 18° | 28° Dar es Salaam: 26° | 32° Lusaka: 18° | 30° Harare: 15° | 31° Economic Indicators: Currency: GBP to NAD 23.97 | EUR to NAD 20.51 | CNY to NAD 2.63 | USD to NAD 19.04 | DZD to NAD 0.14 | AOA to NAD 0.02 | BWP to NAD 1.33 | EGP to NAD 0.39 | KES to NAD 0.14 | NGN to NAD 0.01 | ZMW to NAD 0.74 | ZWL to NAD 0.04 | BRL to NAD 3.8 | RUB to NAD 0.2 | INR to NAD 0.23 | USD to DZD 134.13 | USD to AOA 832.63 | USD to BWP 13.71 | USD to EGP 47.3 | USD to KES 130.98 | USD to NGN 1415.13 | USD to ZAR 19.03 | USD to ZMW 24.97 | USD to ZWL 321 | Stock Exchange: JSE All Share Index 73909.5 Up +0.41% | Namibian Stock Exchange (NSX) Overall Index 1516.02 Down -0.13% | Casablanca Stock Exchange (CSE) MASI 12981.98 Up +0.34% | Egyptian Exchange (EGX) 30 Index 28224.37 Down -2.87% | Botswana Stock Exchange (BSE) DCI Same 0 | NSX: MTC 7.75 SAME | Anirep 8.99 SAME | Capricorn Investment group 17.34 SAME | FirstRand Namibia Ltd 49 DOWN 0.50% | Letshego Holdings (Namibia) Ltd 4.1 UP 2.50% | Namibia Asset Management Ltd 0.7 SAME | Namibia Breweries Ltd 31.49 UP 0.03% | Nictus Holdings - Nam 2.22 SAME | Oryx Properties Ltd 12.1 UP 1.70% | Paratus Namibia Holdings 11.99 SAME | SBN Holdings 8.45 SAME | Trustco Group Holdings Ltd 0.48 SAME | B2Gold Corporation 47.34 DOWN 1.50% | Local Index closed 677.62 UP 0.12% | Overall Index closed 1534.6 DOWN 0.05% | Osino Resources Corp 19.47 DOWN 2.41% | Commodities: Gold US$ 2 212.55/OZ UP +1.00% | Copper US$ 3.97/lb DOWN -0.0038 | Zinc US$ 2 439.40/T DOWN -0.7% | Brent Crude Oil US$ 87.21/BBP UP +0.95% | Platinum US$ 897.74/OZ UP +0.32%