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Monday, 8 June 2026
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Monday, 8 June 2026
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Namibian press · Organization

Prevention of Organised Crime Act

Also known as: POCA

2024-05-142026-06-08
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What’s been said

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

  1. May 2026

  2. Informanté

    Prevention of Organised Crime Act resulted in a forfeiture order of N$6.6 million from Smith's bank accounts in favour of GIPF

    Source

    “Save for a forfeiture order obtained in terms of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act in favour of GIPF of about N$6.6 million from Smith's bank accounts, GIPF, in a separate application, also sought to seize the pension funds of the two employees amounting to N$1.4 million.”

    High Court rules in favour of GIPF in N$18 million case
  3. April 2026

  4. New Era

    Prevention of Organised Crime Act was used for 2020 forfeiture application in High Court by Martha Imalwa

    Source

    “The forfeiture followed a 2020 application by Martha Imalwa, brought under the Prevention of Organised Crime Act in the High Court of Namibia, pending the outcome of the criminal trial.”

    Fishrot assets to remain frozen
Society

High Court orders N$18.6 million repayment in GIPF fraud case

The News

High Court judge Thomas Masuku ruled in favour of the Government Institutions Pension Fund, ordering two former employees, Martin Eugen Smith and Vabiola Aoses, to repay N$18,664,657.59 they allegedly embezzled by creating false documents to reactivate suspended child annuitant benefits and channelling the funds into personal accounts.

Why it matters

High Court's N$18.6 million fraud judgment represents accountability in a major embezzlement case within the government pension system.

12 May 2026 · Informanté →

Tuesday 12 May

  1. High Court orders N$18.6 million repayment in GIPF fraud case

    High Court judge Thomas Masuku ruled in favour of the Government Institutions Pension Fund, ordering two former employees, Martin Eugen Smith and Vabiola Aoses, to repay N$18,664,657.59 they allegedly embezzled by creating false documents to reactivate suspended child annuitant benefits and channelling the funds into personal accounts.

    12 May 2026 · Informanté →

Friday 17 April

  1. Nust administrator charged with defrauding university of over N$2 million

    Maria Hengari, an administrative employee at Namibia University of Science and Technology, appeared in Windhoek Magistrate's Court on fraud charges. She is accused of clearing student debts under false pretences between 2021 and 2024, causing the institution to lose over N$2 million.

    17 April 2026 · New Era →

Tuesday 14 April

  1. Windhoek High Court grants partial discharge in fraud case

    Judge Nate Ndauendapo partially upheld discharge applications from Antoine Mbok and Daniel David Nghiwilepo, who were accused of defrauding the government of over N$3 million. Mbok was discharged on seven counts but faces three remaining charges including money laundering, while Nghiwilepo was discharged on multiple charges but must answer two conspiracy counts.

    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 →

Tuesday 7 April

  1. 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

  1. 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 →

Tuesday 24 March

  1. Namcor fraud case: eighth accused Hamukwaya granted bail

    Panduleni Hamukwaya, eighth accused in an alleged Namcor fraud and corruption case, has been granted N$200,000 bail after eight months in custody, on condition he surrender his passport and report regularly to investigating officers. He is charged with fraud, money laundering, and theft relating to N$1.55 million allegedly received as gratification from an asset purchase agreement, which he claims was investment in a wildlife farming project.

    24 March 2026 · The Namibian →

Friday 13 March

  1. GIPF seeks to recover N$18.6 million from former employee theft

    The Government Institutions Pension Fund is pursuing High Court action to freeze the pension funds of two former employees, Matin Eugen Smith and Vabiola Aoses, accused of embezzling N$18.6 million by altering banking details of inactive beneficiaries and channeling funds into over 50 accounts. GIPF estimates it may recover about N$8 million combined with a forfeiture order already obtained and an interdict to seize the employees' pension benefits totaling N$1.4 million.

    13 March 2026 · Informanté →

Tuesday 10 March

  1. Windhoek crypto operator loses bid to unfreeze accounts

    A Windhoek High Court judge dismissed the attempt by cryptocurrency investment scheme operator Ruaan Smith to regain access to bank accounts frozen by the Bank of Namibia after the central bank found reason to believe he was conducting unauthorised banking business. The court upheld the Bank of Namibia's November 2021 decision to investigate Smith's accounts and the subsequent freezing of accounts at Nedbank Namibia.

    10 March 2026 · The Namibian →

Thursday 26 February

  1. 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 →

Wednesday 25 February

  1. Ponzi scheme trial hears witness testimony on frozen account

    In the trial of Sakaria Megameno Namwandi and Asset Legacy Investment CC on fraud and Ponzi scheme charges, a witness testified that her N$5,000 investment made in October 2019 entered the entity's account after it had been frozen by the Bank of Namibia, leaving her unable to recover funds. The defence argued that Namwandi had no access to the money and that victims must apply under the Prevention of Organised Crime Act to recover invested funds once the case is finalised.

    25 February 2026 · New Era →

Friday 13 February

  1. Drug trafficking suspect Naomi Fisch granted bail in Rehoboth

    Naomi Fisch, accused of drug trafficking and money laundering, was granted N$10,000 bail by Rehoboth Magistrate Wilka Amalwa on Wednesday, despite the State presenting a strong case against her. She must surrender her passport, remain in the Rehoboth District, and avoid interfering with witnesses or investigations.

    13 February 2026 · New Era →

Wednesday 28 January

  1. Joel Angula bail hearing continues on Friday

    Final submissions in the bail application of Joel Angula, accused of murder, robbery, and theft of diamonds at Namdia, will be heard on Friday after the State's case closed on the previous hearing. Angula denies all charges and claims he was tied up during the robbery incident, while a police witness testified that Angula was absent for three hours after the crime.

    28 January 2026 · New Era →

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 →

Thursday 22 January

  1. 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 →

  2. Police pursue more arrests in N$314.9 million Namdia diamond heist

    Namibian police are seeking additional arrest warrants in the Namib Desert Diamonds (Namdia) robbery investigation, with authorities pursuing suspects linked to the theft and the proceeds from stolen diamonds. The latest arrest, of alleged Namdia security officer Charles Rhoman, followed a suspicious livestock transaction in April 2025, bringing the total arrests to eight.

    22 January 2026 · The Namibian →

Thursday 15 January

  1. Namdia security officer arrested over diamond heist investigation

    Charles Rhoman, a protection officer at state-owned diamond enterprise Namdia, was arrested and appeared in court in relation to a diamond heist in January 2025. He faces charges including obstructing justice and possessing proceeds of unlawful activity, and is allegedly linked to relatives arrested in May after selling diamonds connected to the heist in South Africa.

    15 January 2026 · Informanté →

  2. Namcor corruption bail appeal hearing postponed for procedural issues

    A bail appeal hearing for six individuals accused of defrauding Namcor of over N$400 million was postponed in the Windhoek High Court after judges found that legal representatives and the State had not filed required documents procedurally or on time. The matter was rescheduled to 12 and 13 February 2026 to allow parties five days to file proper legal documents.

    15 January 2026 · New Era →

Friday 9 January

  1. Judicial witness protection in Namibia and Africa remains inadequate

    According to New Era, a legal practitioner argues that witness protection frameworks across the region fail to safeguard participants in courts and tribunals adequately. The opinion cites the killing of a witness in South Africa's Madlanga Commission and a prosecutor attacked in Ondangwa, Namibia, as evidence that drastic measures—including risk assessments, protected testimony methods, and surveillance—are needed to protect all court participants.

    9 January 2026 · New Era →

Prevention of Organised Crime Act — Namibian press coverage · Namibia Minute