Namibia Minute.
Friday, 24 April 2026
A daily Namibian brief · Est. 2026
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Person

Tamson Hatuikulipi

Also known as: Tamson

James Hatuikulipi — accused in the Fishrot fraud and corruption trial, with assets frozen under the Prevention of Organised Crime Act.

Politics

Fishrot trial should proceed despite ongoing appeals, defence argues

The News

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 →

Friday 17 April

  1. Fishrot trial should proceed despite ongoing appeals, defence argues

    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 →

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 →

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 →

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 →

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 →

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 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 →

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