‘Swapo only received N$6m of Fishcor money’

OGONE TLHAGE





· Swapo: N$6m

· Farm Goodhope: N$975 000

· James Hatuikulipi: N$500 000

· Erongo Clearing and Forwarding (owned by Tamson Hatuikulipi): N$4m

· Tamson Hatuikulipi: N$11.7m

· MH Property Project (owned by James Hatuikulipi): N$8m

· Ndjako Investment CC (owned by Otniel Shuudifonya): N$2m

· Phonhill Business Trust (owned by James Hatuikulipi): N$14m

· Otwafika Logistics (owned by Pius Mwatelulo): N$11m

· Maren de Klerk: N$2.3m





WINDHOEK

State prosecutors on Friday said Swapo only received N$6 million of the N$55 million Fishcor supposedly released in the name of the party’s political campaigns under the guise of ‘governmental objectives’, with the rest ending up in the pockets of the men accused in the Fishrot case.

The money was paid from Fishcor into the account of law firm DHC Incorporated, co-owned by runaway lawyer Maren de Klerk.

Former Fishcor CEO Mike Nghipunya has maintained throughout his testimony last week that money meant for 2017 and 2018 Swapo political campaigns was paid into the accounts of DHC and another law firm, Sisa Namandje Incorporated.

With Swapo denying receiving any money, although the 2017 payments are believed to have been meant for the Harambee campaign slate rather than the party itself, the question on everyone’s lips has been who the two law firms channelled the money to after it was paid to them from Fishcor.

Nghipunya – under cross examination by state prosecutor Cliff Lutibezi – charged that he was not responsible for how the money was further distributed from the two law firms’ accounts.

He is scheduled to continue his testimony today, which will be broadcast live on the Namibian Sun Facebook page.

Laid bare

The State on Friday laid bare details of how it alleged the money was distributed from the two law firms, saying only N$6 million eventually benefitted the ruling party.

Sharing the details of a forensic report in which N$50 million had been paid into the trust account of DHC, Lutibezi informed Nghipunya that N$6 million had been paid for the benefit of the Swapo Party, which is alleged to have received the money as part of government objectives.

Of the total, N$975 000 had been paid to Farm Goodhope, in which former fisheries minister Bernhardt Esau has a share; N$500 000 to former Investec Namibia managing director James Hatuikulipi; N$4 million to his cousin Tamson Hatuikulipi through Erongo Clearing and Forwarding; a further N$11.7 million to Tamson; an additional N$8 million to James through MH Property Project; N$2 million to Otniel Shuudifonya through Ndjako Investment CC; N$14 million to James through Phonhill Business Trust; N$11 million to Pius Mwatelulo through Otuafika Logistics and N$2.3 million to missing lawyer Maren De Klerk.

Lutibezi questioned the transactions and asked Nghipunya whether he was aware that the money was not paid out to Swapo as part of government objectives, but rather to the accused.

“You see how the funds were distributed when they were received by DHC? From your evidence, these were for government objectives and for the Swapo Party, but from what we have, payments for [Swapo’s] benefit was only N$6 million.

Not responsible

“You did not follow up to find out whether they were for governmental objectives,” Lutibezi said during questioning.

Nghipunya maintained that he was not responsible for funds paid out of the trust accounts of the law firms, saying once the monies were paid into the law firms’ accounts, his responsibility ended.

Last week, he said he had received instructions from then Fishcor board chairperson James Hatuikulipi to make payments from Fishcor to Swapo.

Nghipunya is remanded in custody pending the outcome of his bail hearing, which is set to continue this week. He is being represented by Thabang Phatela, under the instructions of Milton Engelbrecht.