PG fingers Swapo in N$82m Fishrot loot
MATHIAS HAUFIKU
WINDHOEK
Indictment papers filed by in the High Court by the prosecutor-general allege that the ruling party benefited from the N$82 million that was earmarked for government objectives thought state fishing company Fishcor.
This came to the fore during the start of the Fishrot pre-trial hearings in Windhoek yesterday.
Fishrot has been an albatross around Swapo’s neck since the scandal emerged two years ago, implicating its most senior officials – including two former ministers who are now in jail and awaiting trial in the matter.
Despite transactions clearly showing payments to Swapo officials, the party has always denied its involvement in the scandal, saying individual beneficiaries did not act on behalf of the party.
Apart from former fisheries minister Bernard Esau and his justice counterpart Sacky Shanghala, who were recently removed from the party’s central committee, no other Swapo official faced action over their receiving of Fishrot money.
N$15 million stolen
Prosecutor-general Martha Imalwa says the government objectives proceeds, usually handled by Fishcor, was appropriated by the accused persons and distributed among themselves and to entities of their choice.
“N$15 million was transferred to Sisa Namandje & Co Incorporated to settle the second accused’s [James Hatuikulipi’s] debt to one Vaino Nghipondoka and part thereof to be given to Armas Amukwiyu as a donation to the affairs of the Swapo party,” she said.
Imalwa further stated that the N$15 million was stolen from Fishcor.
“The total sum of N$15 million meant for governmental objectives had been misappropriated by themselves and was used to pay accused number two’s [Hatuikulipi’s] personal debts and make donations,” she said in her statement.
In the 94-page indictment document perused by Namibian Sun, the PG lays bare how the nine accused persons and their 11 companies hijacked the government objectives proceeds.
Imalwa paints a picture of how the scheme was devised to ensure that the government objective quota proceeds were channelled from Fishcor to the accused persons.
Meteoric rise
The PG, in the court papers, said Shanghala recommended that Esau appoint his close friend and associate Hatuikulipi as Fishcor board chairperson, despite not having the authority to make such recommendations.
Shanghala was the head of the Law Reform and Development Commission at the time of the appointment.
She also narrated how Nghipunya was elevated from a junior economist at the fisheries ministry to head Fishcor in June 2014. He was 29 at the time.
She said Nghipunya was “still very inexperienced when he was appointed in such a senior and responsible position”.
Imalwa also explained how the accused persons established companies to disguise payments to themselves as well as to cultivate corrupt relationships.
According to Imalwa, on 9 January 2017, Nghipunya told the Novanam Group of Companies that there would be a change in the payment arrangements.
“He [Nghipunya] would provide Novanam with two invoices for the quota. Seaflower would issue an invoice and another entity would issue a second invoice. The combined total of the invoices would be equal in value of the quota price agreed upon,” Imalwa explained in the court papers.
Invoices would be issued from companies controlled by the accused persons.
WINDHOEK
Indictment papers filed by in the High Court by the prosecutor-general allege that the ruling party benefited from the N$82 million that was earmarked for government objectives thought state fishing company Fishcor.
This came to the fore during the start of the Fishrot pre-trial hearings in Windhoek yesterday.
Fishrot has been an albatross around Swapo’s neck since the scandal emerged two years ago, implicating its most senior officials – including two former ministers who are now in jail and awaiting trial in the matter.
Despite transactions clearly showing payments to Swapo officials, the party has always denied its involvement in the scandal, saying individual beneficiaries did not act on behalf of the party.
Apart from former fisheries minister Bernard Esau and his justice counterpart Sacky Shanghala, who were recently removed from the party’s central committee, no other Swapo official faced action over their receiving of Fishrot money.
N$15 million stolen
Prosecutor-general Martha Imalwa says the government objectives proceeds, usually handled by Fishcor, was appropriated by the accused persons and distributed among themselves and to entities of their choice.
“N$15 million was transferred to Sisa Namandje & Co Incorporated to settle the second accused’s [James Hatuikulipi’s] debt to one Vaino Nghipondoka and part thereof to be given to Armas Amukwiyu as a donation to the affairs of the Swapo party,” she said.
Imalwa further stated that the N$15 million was stolen from Fishcor.
“The total sum of N$15 million meant for governmental objectives had been misappropriated by themselves and was used to pay accused number two’s [Hatuikulipi’s] personal debts and make donations,” she said in her statement.
In the 94-page indictment document perused by Namibian Sun, the PG lays bare how the nine accused persons and their 11 companies hijacked the government objectives proceeds.
Imalwa paints a picture of how the scheme was devised to ensure that the government objective quota proceeds were channelled from Fishcor to the accused persons.
Meteoric rise
The PG, in the court papers, said Shanghala recommended that Esau appoint his close friend and associate Hatuikulipi as Fishcor board chairperson, despite not having the authority to make such recommendations.
Shanghala was the head of the Law Reform and Development Commission at the time of the appointment.
She also narrated how Nghipunya was elevated from a junior economist at the fisheries ministry to head Fishcor in June 2014. He was 29 at the time.
She said Nghipunya was “still very inexperienced when he was appointed in such a senior and responsible position”.
Imalwa also explained how the accused persons established companies to disguise payments to themselves as well as to cultivate corrupt relationships.
According to Imalwa, on 9 January 2017, Nghipunya told the Novanam Group of Companies that there would be a change in the payment arrangements.
“He [Nghipunya] would provide Novanam with two invoices for the quota. Seaflower would issue an invoice and another entity would issue a second invoice. The combined total of the invoices would be equal in value of the quota price agreed upon,” Imalwa explained in the court papers.
Invoices would be issued from companies controlled by the accused persons.
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