Africa-Press – Namibia. PRESIDING judge in the ongoing Fishrot bail hearing, Shafimana Ueitele, took Mike Nghipunya to task today and questioned him on the alleged millions from the proceeds of governmental objective quotas transferred to the Swapo party for its congress and presidential campaign.
According to court documents, a total of N$15 million from 12 500 metric tonnes was transferred to the Sisa Namandje Trust, while N$75.6 million was transferred to the De Klerk Horn and Coetzee law firm (DHC), with Swapo receiving N$6 million from the N$75.6 million.
According to Nghipunya’s testimony, the payments made in 2017 to DHC were in totality meant for the Swapo party. Judge Ueitele, however, probed Nghipunya, the former Fishcor CEO, on the serious allegations against the ruling party and pushed him to answer who specifically had authorised those payments.
“I don’t want a general explanation, I’m being very specific. Did the minister convey to you how the proceeds should be transferred? Did you have instructions on where to send the money? I’m asking who identified Swapo as the beneficiary of the government objective,” Ueitele queried.
In response, Nghipunya stuck to his earlier testimony that the former minister of fisheries, Bernhard Esau, who was also arrested in connection with the Fishrot saga, had given the directives to the chairman of Fishcor, James Hatuikulipi.
Hatuikulipi is also currently in prison in connection with the millions of dollars that were reportedly misappropriated and is amongst the six men currently seeking bail in the Windhoek High Court.
He further stated that the transfer of funds to DHC was done directly from the company (Karee Investments) that was allocated 18 800 metric tonnes. He added that once the fish was caught, it was sold and the proceeds were paid from Karee to Swapo via DHC.
“Fishcor does not own the money. Fishcor merely sold the quota and the money was paid over to DHC by the company that got the quota. The beneficiary (Swapo) is the one that was dealing with DHC. The law firm was informed about the use of the funds by the representative of the beneficiary (Swapo),” Nghipunya said.
Judge Ueitele, however, warned Nghipunya against speaking on behalf of other people and questioned him on whether or not he was privy to the conversation that the supposed spokesperson of Swapo had with DHC.
To this Nghipunya responded, “I was never privy to the conversations the minister had with the beneficiary and I was not privy to the conversation the minister had with the chairman of the board, James Hatuikulipi. I am only privy to the information that came to the chairman that this money for congress should go to DHC, and that the money meant for the Swapo party should go to Sisa Namandje and Co. I then picked up the phone and called Maren de Klerk for the banking details.”
Apart from Nghipunya and Hatuikulipi, the other applicants currently seeking bail in the high court are Sacky Shanghala, who is the former justice minister, and businessmen Phillipus Mwapopi, Pius Mwatelulo and Otneel Shuudifonya. Nghipunya, who is still being cross-examined by State Advocate Cliff Lutibezi, will continue tomorrow on day seven of his bail hearing.
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