U.S. Slaps Sanctions On Former Namibia Ministers Accused of Graft
The United States of America has banned former fisheries minister Bernard Esau and ex-justice minister Sacky Shanghala from entering the country because of allegations of corruption. This was announced by U.S. state department spokesperson Ned Price in a media statement issued on June 15. In a statement, Price said the two former ministers "were involved in corrupt acts that undermined rule of law and the Namibian public's faith in their government's democratic institutions".
Esau and Shanghala are charged with having been involved in a scheme in which Icelandic companies allegedly paid them at least N$103 million (U.S.$6,9 million) to get access to Namibian fishing quotas.
In November 2019, WikiLeaks began publishing what it called the Fishrot Files, a collection of thousands of documents and email communications by employees of one of Iceland's largest fish industry companies, Samherji, that indicated that the company had paid hundreds of millions to high ranking politicians and officials in Namibia, to acquire the country's coveted fishing quotas.
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Namibia:
Ex-Ministers Declared Personae Non Grata By U.S.
New Era, 16 June 2021
Former Cabinet ministers Bernhard Esau, Sacky Shanghala and their immediate family members have now been declared personae non grata by the United States of America as a result of… Read more »
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Namibia:
U.S. Slaps Sanctions On Corruption-Accused Former Ministers Esau, Shanghala
Namibian, 15 June 2021
The United States of America has banned former fisheries minister Bernard Esau and ex-justice minister Sacky Shanghala from entering the country because of allegations of… Read more »
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Namibia:
'American Dreams' Shattered - No More Entry for Esau, Shanghala and Families to the U.S.
Namibia Economist, 15 June 2021
The United States Embassy in Namibia today announced the public designation of former government officials Bernhardt Esau and Sakeus Shanghala, due to their involvement in… Read more »
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Namibia:
Noa 'Protecting Fishrot-Tainted Swapo'
Namibian, 10 June 2021
ANTI-CORRUPTION Commission director general Paulus Noa insisted yesterday that Swapo did not "directly" benefit from the Fishrot scandal, despite evidence showing that… Read more »
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Namibia:
Mbumba, Shaningwa Listed As Fishrot State Witnesses
Namibian, 7 June 2021
Vice President Nangolo Mbumba, Swapo secretary general Sophia Shaningwa, secretary to Cabinet George Simataa and lawyer Sisa Namandje are listed as state witnesses in the Fishrot… Read more »
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Namibia:
Fishrot - Prosecutor General Objects to FNB Application
New Era, 7 June 2021
Prosecutor general Martha Imalwa has challenged an application by First National Bank to intervene in the application of forfeiture of various properties belonging to the Fishrot… Read more »
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Namibia:
South Africa Confirms Warrant of Arrest for Alleged Fishrot Lawyer
Namibian, 3 June 2021
SOUTH Africa's justice ministry has confirmed that it has received a request from the Namibian Government to arrest Marén de Klerk, a lawyer who is accused of being a… Read more »
InFocus
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In November 2019, WikiLeaks began publishing what it called the Fishrot Files, a collection of thousands of documents and email communications by employees of one of Iceland's ... Read more »
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Former minister of justice Sacky Shanghala and his business partner James Hatuikulipi are in financial trouble, with Bank of Windhoek having obtained a judgement for the payment of ... Read more »
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Politicians and businessmen who are accused of receiving more than N$130 million (U.S.$7,7 million) in bribes for fishing quotas are likely to face more charges, an investigator of ... Read more »
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Former ministers Bernhard Esau and Sacky Shanghala and their four co-accused in the fishing quotas corruption case are set to remain in custody, following the failure to get a ... Read more »
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The Institute for Public Policy Research has advised President Hage Geingob to remove all tainted politicians, including those that have been convicted but given an option to pay a ... Read more »
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Icelandic fishing company Samherji, which is at the centre of the Fishrot corruption investigations, is suspected of using the Faroe Islands to avoid paying employee income tax in ... Read more »
(File photo).