Bernhard Esau

Also known as: former fisheries minister Bernhard Esau · former minister of fisheries and marine resources Bernardt Esau · former minister of fisheries and marine resources Bernhard Esau

2023-04-212026-07-23

What’s been said

Key points drawn from coverage. Tap a point to see the original sentence.

August 2023
26 AugThe Namibian
Bernhard Esau used the system to divert horse mackerel fishing rights to Samherji
Source
“Esau used the system to divert horse mackerel fishing rights to the Icelandic company Samherji, which has been accused of paying bribes to the arrested ministers and their henchmen.”
Fishrot is Alive and Kicking
July 2023
23 JulThe Namibian
Fishrot accused and former minister of fisheries Bernhard Esau said travelling was very lucrative for ministers
Source
“The revelations about Kandjii-Murangi confirmed statements that Fishrot accused and former minister of fisheries Bernhard Esau made in court last year.”
S&T: Stop the Outrageous Abuse
April 2023
21 AprThe Namibian
Bernhard Esau is in jail awaiting trial with two other individuals on Fishrot-related charges
Source
“Nghipunya, who is in jail awaiting trial with two former ministers, Sacky Shanghala and Bernhard Esau, is painted as a Fishrot enabler.”
Fishrot fashionista: Nghipunya’s rise and reckoning

Politics

Acting prosecutor freezes fugitive lawyer's N$75.3m assets

The News

Acting prosecutor general Martha Imalwa has obtained a Prevention of Organised Crime Act property restraint order in respect of fugitive lawyer Marén de Klerk's assets valued at up to N$75.3 million, as well as assets valued at up to N$2.3 million in respect of the close corporation Moyo Estates. De Klerk, who left Namibia in January 2020 and is believed to be living in South Africa, is wanted in connection with the Fishrot fraud case involving alleged illegal allocation of Namibian fishing quotas.

20 July 2026 · The Namibian →

Monday 20 July

Acting prosecutor freezes fugitive lawyer's N$75.3m assets
Acting prosecutor general Martha Imalwa has obtained a Prevention of Organised Crime Act property restraint order in respect of fugitive lawyer Marén de Klerk's assets valued at up to N$75.3 million, as well as assets valued at up to N$2.3 million in respect of the close corporation Moyo Estates. De Klerk, who left Namibia in January 2020 and is believed to be living in South Africa, is wanted in connection with the Fishrot fraud case involving alleged illegal allocation of Namibian fishing quotas.
20 July 2026 · The Namibian →

Wednesday 6 May

Fishrot case: accused's appeal attempt struck off roll
An appeal filed by Fishrot accused Otneel Shuudifonya against a postponement ruling was struck off the High Court roll at Windhoek Correctional Facility after the acting judge found his notice for leave to appeal did not comply with Criminal Procedure Act requirements.
6 May 2026 · The Namibian →

Monday 27 April

Defence lawyers urge judge to proceed with Fishrot trial
Defence lawyers for accused in the Fishrot fraud, corruption and racketeering case have argued that the trial of the 10 individuals charged should proceed while two accused pursue appeals against the judge's refusal to step down from the case.
27 April 2026 · The Namibian →

Friday 17 April

Fishrot trial should proceed despite ongoing appeals, defence argues
A defence lawyer representing one of ten accused in the Fishrot fraud and corruption trial has argued to the High Court that proceedings should continue while appeals against earlier rulings are pursued, citing delays since 2021 and the constitutional right to trial within a reasonable period. Other defence lawyers largely supported the argument, though one disagreed, and the judge is scheduled to hear further oral arguments on 24 April.
17 April 2026 · The Namibian →

Thursday 16 April

Fishrot trial postponed as recusal application stays proceedings
The Fishrot case has been postponed to 24 April 2026 as former justice minister Sakeus Shanghala pursues leave to appeal a ruling dismissing his request for Judge Marelize du Plessis to recuse herself. Ricardo Gustavo's lawyer argues the repeated delays infringe the accused's right to a speedy trial and violate constitutional rights.
16 April 2026 · New Era →

Tuesday 7 April

Supreme Court upholds asset seizure in Fishrot corruption case
Namibia's Supreme Court dismissed an appeal by three Fishrot accused—former attorney general Sacky Shanghala, James Hatuikulipi, and Pius Mwatelulo—challenging the prosecutor general's use of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act to seize their assets. The court upheld the High Court's restraint order covering bank funds, properties, vehicles, and luxury goods, finding that the prosecutor general may rely on Anti-Corruption Commission evidence rather than police investigations alone.
7 April 2026 · The Namibian →

Friday 3 April

Fishrot accused lose Supreme Court appeal on asset restraint
Three accused in the Fishrot fraud case—former attorney general Sacky Shanghala, James Hatuikulipi, and Pius Mwatelulo—lost their Supreme Court appeal against an assets restraint order imposed under the Prevention of Organised Crime Act. The court upheld the High Court's 2023 confirmation of the restraint, which freezes assets including bank funds, property, vehicles, and luxury goods belonging to six of the accused, and ordered the three appellants to pay the prosecutor general's legal costs.
3 April 2026 · The Namibian →

Wednesday 1 April

Curators struggle to recover overseas assets in Fishrot scandal
Government-appointed curators tasked with seizing assets linked to the Fishrot corruption scandal face legal hurdles and institutional delays in accessing foreign properties owned by suspects, with a February 2025 court order needed to extend seizure powers abroad. The curators report ongoing obstacles including uncooperative banks, missed meetings with defendants, and slow responses from financial institutions, hampering their efforts to catalogue and recover assets valued at over N$317 million.
1 April 2026 · The Namibian →

Thursday 26 February

Private lawyers would cost state N$6 million yearly for Fishrot case
Legal experts say engaging senior private practitioners to prosecute the Fishrot fraud case would cost the government at least N$6 million annually, far more than the state advocates currently handling it—though prosecutors benefit from job security and pension entitlements unavailable in private practice.
26 February 2026 · The Namibian →

Friday 20 February

Fishrot accused's N$4.5m Windhoek mansion deteriorates under court restraint
An unfinished N$4.5 million house in Windhoek owned by Fishrot-accused Tamson Hatuikulipi is falling into disrepair, with structural damage and stolen materials, while court-appointed curators consider how to preserve the property's value under a 2020 asset restraint order related to the corruption case.
20 February 2026 · The Namibian →

Saturday 7 February

Fishrot prosecutors threaten resignation, receive N$54,000 salary increase
Two high-profile state prosecutors leading the Fishrot fraud and corruption trial, Deputy Prosecutor General Ed Marondedze and State Prosecutor Cliff Lutibezi, threatened to resign over low pay and were subsequently granted a N$54,000 monthly salary increase. The salary increase has drawn criticism from some colleagues whose own pleas for raises have not been addressed, and from a former deputy prosecutor general who says the timing is problematic given the case's current stage.
7 February 2026 · The Namibian →

Tuesday 27 January

Fugitive Fishrot lawyer sues over N$1.3 million pension seizure
Marén de Klerk, a fugitive lawyer wanted in connection with the Fishrot fraud case, is challenging the Namibian Police's seizure of his N$1.3 million retirement annuity with Sanlam Namibia, arguing the seizure violates the Pension Funds Act and that pension benefits cannot be seized under the Prevention of Organised Crime Act.
27 January 2026 · The Namibian →