Africa-Press – Namibia. Businessman Jose Luis Bastos has dismissed claims linking him to alleged irregular fishing dividend payments and a land deal involving the late Founding President Sam Nujoma.
The allegations, published in the local daily of 24 and 27 June 2025, claim that Bastos paid fishing dividends from Emeritus Fishing (Pty) Ltd to Nujoma. The paper suggest that questions remain about the transparency of the payments and that some believe money is still owed.
The reports also raise concerns about a land transaction involving a 5 000 square metre plot in Walvis Bay, implying Bastos may have short-changed Nujoma during the development of the upmarket President’s View estate.
In a statement released yesterday through his legal representative, Advocate Richard Metcalfe, Bastos labelled the allegations “fake and false” and described the articles as “skewed, disrespectful and devoid of factual basis.”
He said Emeritus Fishing pays audited dividends annually to all shareholders in line with Namibian legislation and good corporate governance. Between 2017 and 2021, the company reportedly donated over N$16.8 million to charitable causes.
Bastos denied ever paying fishing dividends to Nujoma in his personal capacity and condemned the allegations as an attack on the legacy of a respected national leader.
“No fishing dividends have ever been paid to Nujoma in his personal capacity and/or to Mr John Nauta as is muckrakingly alleged,” he said.
According to him, audited financial statements have nothing to do with tabloid journalists but will always be provided to the tax authorities, police investigators, the Anti-Coruption Commission and any court of law in Namibia.
He also said the land deal documentation and a clear paper trail exist to prove Nujoma was fairly compensated for his share in the development, which cost over N$30 million to establish.
“Nujoma chose to receive different immovable property due to security concerns and never raised any issues about the transaction in the 12 years prior to his death,” Bastos said in the statement.
He also criticised the newspaper for allegedly rushing the story without giving him enough time to respond.
“I refuse to be drawn into donkeyesque allegations at the age of 89.
The allegations are not even worthy of legal action,” Bastos said.
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