Also known as: Shanghala · former attorney general and justice minister Sacky Shanghala · former Minister of Justice Sacky Shanghala · the former minister of justice · accused · Sackeus Shanghala · former minister Sacky Shanghala · Antonio Muvua Cheme · Johan Paru Morkel · Morkel · former justice minister Sacky Shanghala · the former Cabinet minister
Former attorney general and justice minister accused in the Fishrot fraud, corruption and racketeering trial.
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 →
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 →
High Court judge Marilize du Plessis has accepted late-filed arguments by Ricardo Gustavo opposing an application by co-accused Sackeus Shanghala to recuse her from the Fishrot trial. Gustavo argues that Shanghala has not shown evidence of bias, while Shanghala contends that Gustavo's lawyer is not ready for trial, citing scheduling conflicts.
9 March 2026 · Informanté →
Maren De Klerk, a lawyer implicated in the Fishrot corruption scandal, has taken the Prosecutor General and Inspector General of Police to court seeking release of his N$1.3 million pension fund, which he claims was unlawfully seized. De Klerk, accused of channelling millions through his law firm to co-accused ex-cabinet ministers in the N$10 billion scheme, remains in South Africa pending extradition after technical defects delayed the State's initial extradition application.
4 March 2026 · Informanté →
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 →
Vice President Lucia Witbooi unveiled a memorial tombstone at the ELCIN cemetery in Ongwediva for the 27 people killed in a bomb blast at Oshakati's First National Bank on 19 February 1988. Witbooi pledged that national reconciliation would remain central to Namibian democracy, while noting the blast was intended to intimidate SWAPO and destabilise the independence struggle.
24 February 2026 · Informanté →
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah is proposing to shift upstream oil licensing powers from the minister to the presidency, a move she argues is justified given her removal of a minister over corruption. However, according to an opinion piece by professor Roman Grynberg, the proposed legislation lacks transparency provisions and parliamentary oversight, and extends civil immunity to presidential appointees in ways that could facilitate future corruption similar to the Fishrot scandal.
22 February 2026 · The Namibian →
Ricardo Gustavo's legal team says they will "oppose vehemently" an application by former attorney general Sacky Shanghala and co-accused James Hatuikulipi to have High Court judge Marilize du Plessis step down from the Fishrot fraud and corruption trial. Shanghala claims Du Plessis showed bias through remarks suggesting the accused were using delaying tactics, but the state is also opposing the recusal application, with arguments scheduled for 9 March.
13 February 2026 · The Namibian →
Three men accused of murdering businessman Daniele Ferrari in 2020 claim their confessions were coerced through torture and beatings. A trial within a trial has begun to determine whether the accused were subject to police brutality that rendered their statements inadmissible.
9 February 2026 · New Era →