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Monday, 8 June 2026
Namibia’s news, on the hour · Est. 2026
Monday, 8 June 2026
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Namibian press · Person

Mike Nghipunya

Also known as: former Fishcor CEO Mike Nghipunya

One of four Fishrot-accused inmates whose relocation from single cells was ruled unlawful by Windhoek High Court in April 2026.

2019-10-252026-06-08
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What’s been said

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

  1. March 2026

  2. The Namibian

    Mike Nghipunya supported application for Du Plessis to step down from the case

    Source

    “Another of the accused in the matter, former National Fishing Corporation of Namibia (Fishcor) chief executive Mike Nghipunya, supported the application for Du Plessis to step down from the case, which was assigned to her in July last year.”

    Judge Du Plessis dismisses attempt to get her off Fishrot case

  3. The Namibian

    Mike Nghipunya is supporting the recusal application

    Source

    “The attempt to get Du Plessis to step down from the case is being supported by one of the other accused in the matter, former National Fishing Corporation of Namibia chief executive Mike Nghipunya.”

    Fishrot accused says recusal bid aims to delay trial
  4. February 2026

  5. The Namibian

    Nghipunya was relocated from C Section to Echo Unit at start of May

    Source

    “In a sworn statement filed at the court in May last year, Hatuikulipi said he, Nghipunya, Shuudifonya and Mwatelulo were relocated from C Section to Echo Unit, where they are held with the general population of awaiting-trial inmates, at the start of May last year.”

    Judge sets aside decision to move Fishrot accused in prison
  6. April 2023

  7. The Namibian

    Mike Nghipunya is accused in court papers of betraying public trust and faces allegations of corruption and money laundering involving N$75 million

    Source

    “Now, the real man is accused in court papers of betraying public trust and faces allegations of corruption and money laundering involving N$75 million in fishing deals.”

    Fishrot fashionista: Nghipunya’s rise and reckoning

  8. The Namibian

    Mike Nghipunya was allegedly involved in a questionable N$20 billion partnership between Fishcor and African Selection Fishing Namibia

    Source

    “He was allegedly involved in a questionable N$20 billion partnership between Fishcor and African Selection Fishing Namibia, co-owned by businessman Adriaan Louw and lawyer Marén de Klerk, who is accused of being the paymaster in the Fishrot saga.”

    Fishrot fashionista: Nghipunya’s rise and reckoning
  9. October 2019

  10. The Namibian

    Mike Nghipunya is actor and group chief executive officer at National Fishing Corporation of Namibia

    Source

    “TM Clothing Line, a proudly Namibian project, was founded by model, fashion designer and founder of the Katutura Fashion Week (KFW) Dennis Hendricks and Mike Nghipunya, an actor and group chief executive officer at the National Fishing Corporation of Namibia.”

    TM Clothing Line For The Sporty
Politics

Esau's lawyer argues pre-trial detention is oppressive and unfair

The News

Lawyer Florian Beukes argued in High Court that his client Bernard Esau, 69, has experienced oppressive pre-trial incarceration after seven years in custody since his arrest in November 2019, citing exhausted defence funds and violation of constitutional rights to a speedy trial. Esau and nine co-accused, including former Justice Minister Sacky Shanghala, face 42 counts including corruption and racketeering over allegedly receiving N$300 million in payments to favour the Icelandic fishing company Samherji.

Why it matters

Esau defence argues seven years pre-trial detention violates constitutional rights in major corruption and racketeering case.

24 April 2026 · Informanté →

Friday 24 April

  1. Esau's lawyer argues pre-trial detention is oppressive and unfair

    Lawyer Florian Beukes argued in High Court that his client Bernard Esau, 69, has experienced oppressive pre-trial incarceration after seven years in custody since his arrest in November 2019, citing exhausted defence funds and violation of constitutional rights to a speedy trial. Esau and nine co-accused, including former Justice Minister Sacky Shanghala, face 42 counts including corruption and racketeering over allegedly receiving N$300 million in payments to favour the Icelandic fishing company Samherji.

    24 April 2026 · Informanté →

Thursday 16 April

  1. 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 14 April

  1. Fishrot trial stalls as court grapples with legal procedure dispute

    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 →

Wednesday 8 April

  1. Supreme Court upholds freeze on Fishrot corruption saga assets

    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 →

Wednesday 1 April

  1. 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 →

Tuesday 24 March

  1. Judge Du Plessis refuses to step down from Fishrot trial

    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 →

Tuesday 10 March

  1. Fishrot defendant opposes co-accused recusal bid against judge

    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 →

  2. Former justice minister seeks judge's recusal in fisheries trial

    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 →

Sunday 1 March

  1. Prison seeks to move Fishrot accused to communal cells again

    The Namibian Correctional Service is attempting to relocate the four Fishrot-accused inmates from single cells to communal cells at Windhoek Correctional Facility, citing security and operational concerns. The move comes after a High Court judge recently ruled that a similar relocation was unlawful because the accused were not given a fair hearing, and the accused have warned they will return to court if the new notice proceeds.

    1 March 2026 · The Namibian →

Tuesday 17 February

  1. High Court sets aside prison relocation of Fishrot accused

    A Windhoek High Court judge has overturned a decision to move four Fishrot defendants from their designated section of Windhoek Correctional Facility, ruling that prison authorities failed to give them a hearing or explain the reasons for the move. The judge affirmed that the accused, who are presumed innocent, have the right to be heard before adverse decisions affecting them are made.

    17 February 2026 · The Namibian →

Saturday 14 February

  1. Judge sets aside prison relocation of four Fishrot accused

    A Windhoek High Court judge has set aside a decision by prison authorities to move four Fishrot fraud trial accused—James Hatuikulipi, Mike Nghipunya, Otneel Shuudifonya and Pius Mwatelulo—from C Section to Echo Unit, finding that the authorities failed to hear them or provide reasons for the relocation. The judge emphasised that trial-awaiting inmates are human beings whose rights must be respected under the rule of law.

    14 February 2026 · The Namibian →

Tuesday 27 January

  1. 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 →

Friday 23 January

  1. Judge finds Shanghala and co-accused delaying Fishrot trial

    Acting judge Marilize du Plessis ruled that former justice minister Sacky Shanghala and two co-accused have been using a strategy to delay their Fishrot fraud, corruption and racketeering trial, which has been pending since October 2021 without witness testimony yet beginning. Du Plessis rejected their postponement applications and ordered the trial to continue, though she granted a brief postponement to allow defence representation time to prepare.

    23 January 2026 · The Namibian →

Thursday 22 January

  1. Fishrot corruption trial set to begin March 9, 2026

    After nearly six years, the fishing quota corruption trial in which Namibian fisheries resources were allegedly stolen through deals with Icelandic company Samherji will begin on March 9, 2026. Acting Judge Marilize du Plessis rejected multiple postponement applications from former minister Sacky Shanghala and co-accused, ruling that lengthy delays in the civil review process and years of court proceedings weighed against further delay.

    22 January 2026 · New Era →

  2. Fishrot trial postponed to March 2026 pending appeals

    High Court Judge Marilize du Plessis postponed the Fishrot trial to 9–20 March 2026 after defendants' unsuccessful bid for a longer postponement pending a collateral review against the Anti-Corruption Commission. Sackeus Shanghala indicated he will appeal the judge's refusal, challenging the ACC's authority to have investigated evidence under the Prevention of Organised Crime Act prior to 2023.

    22 January 2026 · Informanté →

Mike Nghipunya — Namibian press coverage · Namibia Minute