Nghipunya offers N$200k as bail
The troubled former Fishcor boss, who was already denied bail at first attempt, says he will not flee the country in a bid to escape prosecution in the multimillion-dollar bribery scandal.
JEMIMA BEUKES
WINDHOEK
Former Fishcor CEO Mike Nghipunya has denied assertions that he was just a “small boy wheelbarrowed into Fishcor to move around millions of dollars”, saying he came into the company to save it from collapse.
Fishcor, established by an Act of Parliament to run the commercial fishing activities of the Namibian government, is at the heart of the Fishrot bribery scandal in which billions were allegedly paid in bribes for fishing quotas to Icelandic fishing giant, Samherji.
To strengthen his case, Nghipunya offered bail of N$200 000 and promised that he would report to the Otjomuise Police Station as stipulated by court.
However, he added, it is important that the court note that “money is not easy to come by”, but he promised to, by all means, see how he can raise this amount.
He also asked the court to consider the conditions under which he and his co-accused must consult lawyers, who are not allowed to enter consulting rooms with an iPad but must haul around up to 90 files when they visit.
“It is difficult to consult with our lawyers. People have this thing that ‘you are involved in a multimillion-dollar scandal’, but allegations don’t mean there is money. It is really a cumbersome process. Legal services do not come cheap,” he said.
Not a crime
Nghipunya and his co-accused, former justice minister Sacky Shanghala, former Investec CEO James Hatuikulipi, Pius Mwatelulo, Otneel Shuudifonya and Phillipus Mwapopi, are in court this week to plead for bail.
Hatuikulipi, Shanghala and Mwatelulo opted to plead their case via affidavits, while the other accused - including Nghipunya - took the stand to explain to the court how governmental objectives work.
It is alleged the Fishrot accused obtained fishing quotas through governmental objectives and used these as a vehicle to defraud government of billions of dollars.
When he took the stand at the start of the bail hearing, Nghipunya opposed to the State’s objection that he poses a flight risk and may interfere with the case or witnesses, saying he has no desire to leave Namibia.
In fact, he said, he knew for weeks before his arrest was effected that the police were after him, and even made arrangements to hand himself over in the presence of legal representation.
If anything, he welcomes the court proceedings, because he is hellbent on proving his innocence. He is further keen to prove that “while people say this is a crime, it is really not a crime”.
‘All a vendetta’
“The main thing here is to abscond. I have no reason to run away. I can prove to the court that this is all a vendetta.
“I really want to clear my name and show it is a misunderstanding,” Nghipunya said.
While he insisted that he has no interest in engaging with witnesses - which include his brother - he invited the court to lay ground rules for how he should engage with his sibling so as not to compromise the case.
[email protected]
WINDHOEK
Former Fishcor CEO Mike Nghipunya has denied assertions that he was just a “small boy wheelbarrowed into Fishcor to move around millions of dollars”, saying he came into the company to save it from collapse.
Fishcor, established by an Act of Parliament to run the commercial fishing activities of the Namibian government, is at the heart of the Fishrot bribery scandal in which billions were allegedly paid in bribes for fishing quotas to Icelandic fishing giant, Samherji.
To strengthen his case, Nghipunya offered bail of N$200 000 and promised that he would report to the Otjomuise Police Station as stipulated by court.
However, he added, it is important that the court note that “money is not easy to come by”, but he promised to, by all means, see how he can raise this amount.
He also asked the court to consider the conditions under which he and his co-accused must consult lawyers, who are not allowed to enter consulting rooms with an iPad but must haul around up to 90 files when they visit.
“It is difficult to consult with our lawyers. People have this thing that ‘you are involved in a multimillion-dollar scandal’, but allegations don’t mean there is money. It is really a cumbersome process. Legal services do not come cheap,” he said.
Not a crime
Nghipunya and his co-accused, former justice minister Sacky Shanghala, former Investec CEO James Hatuikulipi, Pius Mwatelulo, Otneel Shuudifonya and Phillipus Mwapopi, are in court this week to plead for bail.
Hatuikulipi, Shanghala and Mwatelulo opted to plead their case via affidavits, while the other accused - including Nghipunya - took the stand to explain to the court how governmental objectives work.
It is alleged the Fishrot accused obtained fishing quotas through governmental objectives and used these as a vehicle to defraud government of billions of dollars.
When he took the stand at the start of the bail hearing, Nghipunya opposed to the State’s objection that he poses a flight risk and may interfere with the case or witnesses, saying he has no desire to leave Namibia.
In fact, he said, he knew for weeks before his arrest was effected that the police were after him, and even made arrangements to hand himself over in the presence of legal representation.
If anything, he welcomes the court proceedings, because he is hellbent on proving his innocence. He is further keen to prove that “while people say this is a crime, it is really not a crime”.
‘All a vendetta’
“The main thing here is to abscond. I have no reason to run away. I can prove to the court that this is all a vendetta.
“I really want to clear my name and show it is a misunderstanding,” Nghipunya said.
While he insisted that he has no interest in engaging with witnesses - which include his brother - he invited the court to lay ground rules for how he should engage with his sibling so as not to compromise the case.
[email protected]
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