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
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The Namibian
… THE REAL STING Consider the scandals that weigh heavily on our national psyche: the still-unfolding Namcor (‘oil-rot’) case, and the ongoing Fishrot trial. …
Cleaning With a Broken Broom: The ACC in an Age of ‘Rot’The Namibian
… We have scandals like ‘Fishrot’ and ‘Fuelrot’. Yet others, like ‘tender rot’ and ‘nepotism rot’, lurk beneath the surface. …
Namibia Needs Leaders Who Serve, Not RuleThe Namibian
In a nation still processing the aftershocks of the Fishrot scandal, Namibia finds itself staring down yet another storm – allegations of corruption at Namcor and a protracted High Court fight between the Development Bank of Namibia (DBN) and Enercon over more than N$28 million i …
One Country, Two Roads: What Corruption Scandals Reveal About Success and IntegrityThe Namibian
… The Fishrot scandal, the Namcor case, and allegations around a medical procurement tender – now under ACC investigation – share a common thread: Individuals allegedly enjoying wealth far beyond their legitimate earnings. …
Lifestyle Auditsa Vital Weapon Against CorruptionThe 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 SubstancesFormer Anti-Corruption Commission director general Paulus Noa has advised his successor, Bryan Eiseb, to uphold the rule of law and resist public and political pressure, cautioning that public opinion should never dictate investigative decisions and warning against entertaining personal, material, or political agendas.
22 July 2026 · New Era →
Former Anti-Corruption Commission director general Paulus Noa has advised his successor, Bryan Eiseb, to uphold the rule of law and resist public and political pressure, cautioning that public opinion should never dictate investigative decisions and warning against entertaining personal, material, or political agendas.
22 July 2026 · New Era →
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 →
With Swapo's elective congress a little over a year away, veteran party leaders have called on the ruling party to strictly uphold its constitution, restore internal discipline, and refocus on ordinary Namibians' concerns. Former Cabinet minister Jerry Ekandjo cited the party's loss of its two-thirds majority in the National Assembly—now holding 51 seats while opposition parties collectively occupy 45—and urged the party to follow constitutional provisions, including filling the long-vacant vice president position.
20 July 2026 · New Era →
The High Court has postponed the Fishrot fraud, corruption and racketeering case—concerning alleged unlawful allocation of Namibian fishing quotas—to 19 October. Former attorney general Sacky Shanghala, one of ten charged, said a Supreme Court petition challenging the judge's refusal to step down from the case remains pending, and a related civil application by four of the accused is scheduled for hearing on 15 September.
16 July 2026 · The Namibian →
Members of Parliament have challenged the incoming Anti-Corruption Commission leadership to demonstrate independence and impartiality, with lawmakers warning that the institution's credibility depends on investigating corruption without fear or favour. Swapo MP Tobie Aupindi criticized the outgoing ACC leadership and alleged the commission had been weaponized to settle political scores and applied investigations selectively.
14 July 2026 · New Era →
More than 1,000 former Namibian fisheries workers have asked Icelandic prosecutors to recognise them as victims in criminal proceedings linked to the Fishrot corruption scandal involving Icelandic fishing company Samherji. The workers argue they suffered direct harm from alleged corrupt conduct between 2012 and 2019, including job losses, food and housing insecurity, school fee difficulties, debt accumulation, and psychological stress.
12 July 2026 · The Namibian →
Affirmative Repositioning MP Vaino Hangula backed the nomination of Bryan Eiseb as Anti-Corruption Commission director general and the extension of deputy director general Erna van der Merwe, but warned that public confidence in the ACC has eroded over two decades of unmet expectations, particularly following the Fishrot scandal, and pledged his party would subject the institution to close scrutiny.
10 July 2026 · The Namibian →
A High Court review application brought by former justice minister Sakeus Shanghala and 14 co-applicants against the Anti-Corruption Commission and other respondents has been declared ready for hearing. The parties proposed hearing dates in July or August 2026 and seek to have the entire Fishrot investigation declared unlawful.
10 July 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
The Namibian public, media, and civil society have limited access to fisheries-related information including scientific reports, quota allocations, and compliance data, making it difficult to understand how marine resources are assessed and managed without a consolidated public platform.
7 July 2026 · The Namibian →
Judge Boas Usiku recused himself from hearing a wide-ranging application by four Fishrot fraud and corruption accused in the Windhoek High Court after determining that his friendship with ACC director general Paulus Noa could create a view of bias. The application, in which the accused seek to restrain the prosecutor general from continuing their criminal prosecution until their civil case is decided, was postponed to 9 July.
5 July 2026 · The Namibian →
The Namibian government has requested a temporary postponement of a civil case brought by ESJA Investments (a Samherji subsidiary) seeking N$162.6 million in funds related to the MFV Heinaste fishing vessel involved in the Fishrot scandal, citing witness safety concerns and stating the main witness should testify in the criminal matter first before the civil case proceeds.
29 June 2026 · Informanté →
Former Justice Minister Sackeus Shanghala and co-accused James Hatuikulipi have filed a Supreme Court petition seeking the removal of Judge Marelize du Plessis from their fisheries and corruption trial, after she dismissed their recusal application in March 2026. A lawyer for another accused has also indicated plans to apply for bail release, citing compromised fair trial rights and inadequate consultation facilities.
24 June 2026 · Informanté →
The Namibian editorial argues that senior officials—advisers, executive directors, chief executives and civil servants—have a duty to speak truth to power and not remain silent to stay close to authority, citing the upcoming transitions of the prosecutor general and Anti-Corruption Commission director general.
14 June 2026 · The Namibian →
Ninety One Namibia and Sanlam Allianz Namibia plan to combine their active asset management businesses, operating under the Ninety One Namibia brand with a 15-year term, though the deal awaits shareholder and regulatory approvals including from the Namibia Competition Commission.
11 June 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 →