Niël Terblanché
FORMER fisheries minister, Bernard Esau, was set free by High Court Judge Hannelie Prinsloo, who during a meeting with the lawyers representing the applicant and the state in her chambers, ruled that the warrant for his arrest was invalid.
Because the warrant of arrest was declared invalid Esau’s arrest was also declared invalid and the judge ordered that Esau, who faced a charge of corruption and who is implicated in the fisheries corruption scandal along with Ricardo Gustavo, Sacky Shanghala, James Hatuiklulipi and Tamson Hatuikulipi, be set free.
In her ruling Justice Prinsloo noted that the parties reached a settlement agreement.
“The warrant of arrest in respect of the applicant issued by the first respondent on 23 November 2019, is declared invalid and set aside.”
Judge Prinsloo also ordered that the station commander of the Otjomuise Police Station release the applicant with immediate effect.
The order further vacated the hearing that was set down for Tuesday during court proceedings earlier on Sunday and the matter was removed from the court roll and is deemed finalised.
