Africa-Press – Namibia. A CELLPHONE found in former justice minister Sacky Shanghala’s possession in jail last year was used to do internet searches on extradition, Dubai, and the United Arab Emirates.
This was part of the testimony that Anti-Corruption Commission investigator Andreas Kanyangela gave in the Windhoek High Court during the continuing hearing of a bail application of six of the men charged in the Fishrot fraud and corruption case yesterday.
Kanyangela told judge Shafimana Ueitele that cellphones have been found in jail in possession of some of the men charged in the Fishrot case on three occasions.
Phones were found with James Hatuikulipi and Pius Mwatelulo during 2020, with Hatuikulipi and Shanghala last year, and again in Hjatuikulipi’s possession in January this year, Kanyangela said.
When the phone found with Shanghala last year was examined, it was discovered that on 30 March eight searches had been made on the internet on the terms “extradition in Dubai” and “extradition in the UAE”, Kanyangela testified.
He also told the court that Hatuikulipi has a residence permit in the United Arab Emirates as an investor. That permit expires on 15 June this year.
Hatuikulipi also has a South African identity document, which was issued to him in 2012, Kanyangela added.
He recounted that the men charged in the Fishrot case are facing serious charges, on which they can receive long terms of imprisonment if convicted, and that their assets are currently under a preservation order and could later be forfeited to the state.
Except for family ties, there is nothing preventing them from leaving the country if released from jail, Kanyangela said.
He also noted it was known that Icelandic-owned companies involved in the use of fishing quotas which they obtained through the accused in the matter had paid the equivalent of about N$60 million into a bank account in Dubai.
“These people can leave to Dubai and when they get the money there, they can start a new life,” he said.
BENEFITS
Kanyangela, who was on the witness stand for a sixth day yesterday, also testified about the findings in a report on an investigation carried out by auditing firm Deloitte.
In the report, he said, Deloitte summarised the financial benefits which the accused in the Fishrot case received from their involvement in the alleged unlawful use of Namibian fishing quotas.
Hatuikulipi received the equivalent of about N$130 million, according to the report.
This amount included payments totalling about N$32,4 million into his personal bank accounts, N$14,75 million paid to his close corporation MH Property Projects, N$12,9 million in payments to his and Shanghala’s close corporation Olea Investments Number One, and payments totalling about N$9,3 million to Hatuikulipi’s close corporation Greyguard Investment.
An amount of about US$4,1 million – the equivalent of about N$63,4 million currently – was also paid into an account of Hatuikulipi’s company Tundavala Invest Limited in Dubai, the auditors recorded.
According to Deloitte’s calculations, Hatuikulipi’s cousin and co-accused Tamson Hatuikulipi and his business interests received a total financial benefit of N$57,6 million through their involvement in the matter.
The financial benefit received by former National Fishing Corporation of Namibia (Fishcor) chief executive Mike Nghipunya and his business interests was calculated as totalling N$43,9 million.
Shanghala received a total amount of about N$27,7 million: about N$5 million in his personal bank accounts, N$12,9 million to his and James Hatuikulipi’s Olea Investments Number One CC, and N$9,8 million to his Omholo Trust.
The financial benefit received by another of the accused, Ricardo Gustavo, and his business interests was calculated at about N$22,4 million.
Another of the accused, Otneel Shuudifonya, and his business interests’ financial benefit came to about N$21,4 million, while Pius Mwatelulo received about N$14,1 million, and Phillipus Mwapopi N$6,4 million.
The financial benefit derived by former minister of fisheries and marine resources Bernhard Esau amounted to almost N$5,5 million, which included expenses totalling N$3,4 million paid by others on his behalf and N$150 000 that was paid into his personal bank accounts, Deloitte reported.
The bail hearing is scheduled to continue tomorrow.
For More News And Analysis About Namibia Follow Africa-Press
