EDITORIAL: Time to draw a line in the sand on Fishrot

At some point, presiding officers in the Fishrot matter must draw a clear line in the sand. The trial’s persistent delays – many of them driven by applications and demands from the accused themselves – have become agonising for all involved.

Thus far, the process has largely unfolded as a spectacle centred on the accused.



A litany of demands has been placed before the court: improved transport from prison to court, alterations to court infrastructure and even calls for the state to bankroll private legal teams. One of the accused, Sacky Shanghala, has gone as far as arguing that because the alleged conduct occurred during his tenure as a minister, the taxpayer – his former employer – must carry his legal costs.

But justice is not a private affair. On the other side of the scale stand the people of Namibia – the true victims of this scandal – who are equally entitled to see justice done, and done without unreasonable delay. The world does not revolve around the accused alone.

Yes, those standing trial are presumed innocent until proven otherwise. And yes, some delays arise from legitimate attempts to secure a fair trial, a right no court should trample upon. The accused are entitled to exhaust lawful avenues to protect their interests, especially in a case of this magnitude.

But there comes a point where fairness to the accused must be weighed against fairness to the nation. At present, the Fishrot process appears to belong exclusively to those behind bars, while the broader public interest is left waiting in the corridor.

The heart of this case is not procedural comfort or logistical convenience. It is the allegation that Namibia’s natural resources were plundered for narrow, parochial interests. The public wants accountability. It wants answers. And above all, it wants closure.