Also known as: Fishrot fraud · Fishrot case · Fishrot fraud, corruption and racketeering case · Fishrot corruption scandal · 2019 Fishrot scandal · Fishrot fraud and corruption scandal · Fishrot saga · Fishrot affair · The Fishrot Gang · Fishrot accused · Fishrot scandal · Fishrot trial · Fishrot corruption case · Fishrot matter · Fishrot corruption and fraud trial · Fishrot corruption saga · Fishrot fraud and corruption case · the Namibia Fishrot case · Fishrot fishing quotas fraud, corruption and racketeering case
Verbatim sentences from the source article.
The Namibian
… What’s peaceful about the Walvis residents who killed themselves because Fishrot stole their dreams? …
Let’s All Hold Hands and Go Down With the TitanicThe Namibian
… Disenchantment with corruption, particularly the Fishrot scandal that rocked the party over the past few years, is also a factor. …
Swapo could be the next former liberation movement to lose its grip on powerThe Namibian
… He said Nandi-Ndaitwah did not have an opinion on the Fishrot fraud and corruption fishing quota scandal either. …
PDM leader Venaani accuses Swapo’s Nandi-Ndaitwah of ignoring corruption claims amid controversial election tenderThe Namibian
… IN THE DOCK … Six of the accused in the Fishrot matter during a previous court appearance. …
A different picture: What Samherji boss’ text messages revealThe Namibian
… He says Fishrot is the most obvious example. Melber says Mbumba’s statement is a betrayal of democracy Swapo pays lip service to. …
Mbumba says voters should not humiliate ‘themselves by voting for untested and untried’ candidatesThe Namibian
… Aren’t we the country with a failed Fishrot scheme? Whether it’s inside our borders or some international frontiers, we suck. …
Wake Up, Namibia: Your Children are Swallowing Dangerous SubstancesThe Namibian
There has been considerable public debate over human rights and the criminal justice system, sparked in particular by the high profile Fishrot case. …
Bail and Medical Parole: Namibia’s Legal Landscape Under ScrutinyThe Namibian
… The secrecy and abuse of power that enabled the Fishrot scandal should not be replicated in the oil and gas industry. …
The Time for Transparency in Oil and Gas is NOWThe Namibian
… PG Imalwa blames SA authorities for wrong procedures Fishrot paymaster Marén de Klerk is a free man for now, after his extradition to Namibia was withdrawn in South Africa (SA) last week. …
Fishrot paymaster released after extradition withdrawalThe Namibian
One of the key figures in the Fishrot fishing quotas fraud, corruption and racketeering case, James Hatuikulipi, has chosen not to testify in his own defence in a bribery trial. …
Hatuikulipi opts to stay silent in bribery trialIceland's finance minister attributed the Fishrot scandal to corruption in Namibia rather than Iceland, a comment an Icelandic journalist and former Transparency International Iceland director calls emotional escapism rooted in "Icelandic exceptionalism"—a delusional belief that Iceland is inherently uncorrupt and that corruption is merely a "foreign infection."
13 May 2026 · The Namibian →
Iceland's finance minister attributed the Fishrot scandal to corruption in Namibia rather than Iceland, a comment an Icelandic journalist and former Transparency International Iceland director calls emotional escapism rooted in "Icelandic exceptionalism"—a delusional belief that Iceland is inherently uncorrupt and that corruption is merely a "foreign infection."
13 May 2026 · The Namibian →
Former Angolan fisheries minister Vitória de Barros Neto has denied responsibility for alleged misappropriation of around 300 million kwanzas in public funds from fish commercialisation in the common marine zone between Namibia and Angola during her 2012–2019 tenure. The trial, which began in December 2019, is not connected to Namibia's Fishrot scandal, though both involve fisheries-sector corruption around the same period.
11 May 2026 · The Namibian →
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 →
Maren de Klerk, a lawyer implicated in the "Fishrot" corruption scandal, disputes Police Inspector General Joseph Shikongo's claim that he cannot seek redress from the courts on seized assets while alleged to be a fugitive. De Klerk argues the Constitution guarantees every person the right to approach courts, and asserts his pension benefits of about N$1.3 million were accrued from legitimate legal work.
28 April 2026 · Informanté →
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 →
Iceland's finance minister Daði Már Kristófersson has said corruption in the Fishrot case reflects Namibia and not Iceland, following media coverage of Icelandic fishing company Samherji's operations. Namibian MP Rodney Cloete rejected the statement, arguing it ignores the role of foreign companies involved in the scandal.
27 April 2026 · The Namibian →
Icelandic artist Oddur Eysteinn Friðriksson created a fabricated website and press release falsely claiming to be from Alda Seafood Holding, apologising for alleged corporate wrongdoing in Namibia linked to the Fishrot scandal. The spoof was designed as an artistic intervention to highlight issues of corporate accountability and freedom of expression, and misled at least two prominent Namibian daily newspapers.
27 April 2026 · Informanté →
Six years after the Fishrot scandal, Namibia's fisheries sector remains governed by excessive secrecy with no publicly accessible register of fishing rights holders, quota allocations, or beneficial owners. The same structural weaknesses that enabled the fraud—concentrated discretionary powers, opaque allocation processes, and 'paper quota holders' profiting without investment—remain largely intact, requiring political will to implement transparency reforms.
26 April 2026 · The Namibian →
According to legal researcher Brian Ngutjinazo, the contrasting bail decisions in the Namcor and Fishrot corruption cases reflect consistent application of Namibia's Criminal Procedure Act rather than inconsistency. In Namcor, courts found insufficient grounds for detention, while in Fishrot, evidence of alleged witness interference and the scale of organized corruption justified continued detention under the law's test of whether the interests of justice permit release.
17 April 2026 · New Era →
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 →
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 →
A Scottish litigation firm is pursuing a US$1 billion claim against Icelandic fishing company Samherji on behalf of Namibia's state-owned Fishcor, alleging the company used bribes and corruption to obtain fishing quotas between 2012 and 2019. Samherji denies the allegations and says it is defending itself in London courts.
16 April 2026 · The Namibian →
Political analysts have questioned President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah's appointment of seven deputy ministers, arguing the move contradicts her cost-cutting agenda and duplicates administrative roles rather than improving service delivery. Supporters counter that merged ministries require deputy ministers for parliamentary accountability, though critics contend the appointments reward campaign loyalists rather than serve governance needs.
15 April 2026 · The Namibian →
Proceedings in the high-profile corruption trial of former justice minister Sacky Shanghala and others have stalled over a disagreement about which of two competing appeals applications should be heard first—a recusal challenge or a stay-of-proceedings request. The court has adjourned until 5 May 2026 to resolve the procedural impasse.
14 April 2026 · New Era →
An opinion piece argues that appointing an information commissioner at N$1.4 million annually is unnecessary bureaucracy, asserting existing government institutions and online resources already provide public information. The author contends that inefficiency in government responsiveness, not lack of access, is the real problem Namibia should address.
12 April 2026 · The Namibian →
The Anti-Corruption Commission has set aside N$100,000 for specialised consultancy services to support complex investigations and strategy development in its 2026/27 budget of N$1.9 million. The ACC says outsourcing expert advice is more cost-effective than maintaining permanent specialised staff, though a lawyer noted the amount is modest relative to costs in major corruption cases like Fishrot.
12 April 2026 · The Namibian →
Namibia's Supreme Court has upheld a High Court order preventing those accused in the Fishrot corruption case from accessing forfeited assets, rejecting an appeal by former justice minister Sacky Shanghala, James Hatuikulipi and Pius Mwatelulo. The court found that the Anti-Corruption Commission had proper authority to conduct the investigation and that the restraint order remains valid pending the outcome of the criminal trial, which is scheduled to recommence in March 2026.
8 April 2026 · New Era →
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 →
This is a satirical opinion piece criticizing an acting council CEO (referred to as "Fernest") who appointed himself to a newly created human resources and administration manager position, including awarding himself allowances and benefits via a self-congratulatory letter. The piece uses heavy irony to mock the lack of transparency and ethics involved in the self-appointment.
4 April 2026 · The Namibian →
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 →
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 →
An analysis argues that the Fishrot corruption scandal was not a failure of governance systems, but rather institutions operating effectively toward extraction rather than public purpose. The piece contends that removing individuals is insufficient if the underlying orientation of the system remains unchanged, and that structural alignment with stated purpose is essential to integrity.
28 March 2026 · The Namibian →
Independent Patriots for Change MP Michael Mulunga argued during National Assembly debate that the petroleum amendment bill, which would place oil and gas under the Office of the President, mirrors the governance failures that led to the 2019 Fishrot scandal. He warned that granting such discretionary powers without proper oversight risks similar corruption and questioned why the bill is urgent when commercial oil production is years away.
25 March 2026 · The Namibian →
The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform has referred compensation claims from 252 former Samherji employees to the Ministry of Justice and Labour Relations, noting that affected workers were already considered under a government redress programme aimed at reintegrating them into the fishing industry following the company's 2019–2020 closure. Some former employees argue that placement at other companies does not fully address their financial losses.
25 March 2026 · The Namibian →
Acting judge Marilize du Plessis rejected an application by two accused in the Fishrot fraud and corruption case to recuse herself, finding that her factual observations about trial delays did not demonstrate bias and that her acquaintance with two state witnesses would not affect her impartiality.
24 March 2026 · The Namibian →
High Court Judge Marilize du Plessis has dismissed an application by Fishrot-accused former Minister of Justice Sacky Shanghala and co-accused to remove her from the case, rejecting their allegations that she was biased and lacked experience to preside over the trial.
23 March 2026 · Informanté →
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah delivered an Independence Day address highlighting 36 years of democratic progress, infrastructure development, and education advancement while calling for collective action to address poverty, inequality, unemployment, corruption, and tribalism. She warned of external risks including global tensions and climate change, and committed government to achieving Vision 2030 goals through investment in youth development, subsidised tertiary education, and infrastructure.
23 March 2026 · New Era →
Ex-Cabinet minister Sacky Shanghala is seeking to recuse Acting Judge Marilize du Plessis from the protracted Fishrot corruption trial, arguing her previous pronouncements show bias and prejudice, while co-accused Ricardo Gustavo opposes the application as a delay tactic unsupported by facts of actual bias.
12 March 2026 · New Era →
Ricardo Gustavo, first accused in the Fishrot fraud and corruption case, says a recusal application by former attorney general Sacky Shanghala and James Hatuikulipi against acting judge Marilize du Plessis is intended to delay the trial. The judge is expected to rule on the recusal application on 23 March.
10 March 2026 · The Namibian →
Former justice minister Shanghala has applied for High Court acting judge Marelize du Plessis to recuse herself from his corruption trial, arguing her statements characterizing his applications as delay tactics and her treatment of parties demonstrate bias. Co-accused and their legal representatives also challenge the judge's competence and impartiality.
10 March 2026 · Informanté →