Zorena Jantze
CELLPHONE records seized from James Hatuikulipi show the internal plans and conspiracies in which he brushed off the possibility of being caught, stating that Namibian authorities do not have the capacity to investigate complex offshore accounts.
Hatuikulipi and five others are currently appearing in the Windhoek High Court, seeking bail in the Fishcor case, in which prominent ministers and business men are said to have misappropriated public funds from the fishing sector.
Reading a bundle of emails found on Hatuikulipi’s phone, ACC investigator Andreas Kanyangela quoted court messages shared between James and Jon Olaffson, a representative of Samerji, the Icelandic company involved in the Fishrot case.
”Is there any danger that the balance paid outside will be discovered, we don’t want to create papers that talk about fish being delivered, and then they find the money trail,” Olaffson states in an email retrieved from Hatuikulipi’s phone.
Hatuikulipi, who created a fake alias email under the name Petrus Aashongo, responded to this email on 28 May 2019 stating, “I don’t think they can find outside payments, we have closed those accounts, plus they do not have the capacity to go after complex transactions offshore.”
Kanyangela also testified that Samerji subsidiary companies Noah Pelagic and Esja Seafood made payments totaling up to N$ 4.9 million between 2015 and 2019 to Tundavala Invest in Dubai.
He also stated that Namibian authorities have sought legal assistance regarding the accounts, but do date there been no cooperation, adding that he believes that these accounts may possibly be there.
Kanyangela told the court that they have also done investigations into the appointment of James Hatuikulipi and former Fishcor CEO Mike Nghipunya.
According to him, the accused started off the saga by appointing each other in high positions to gain access to fishing quotas.
“James Hatuikulipi was the chairperson of the board of Fishcor. His appointment was done procedurally and was done against the Fishcor Act and he was appointed by the former minister of fisheries, Benhard Esau, instead of being appointed by the board of directors of Fishcor,” Kanyangela said.
He further noted that Icelandic company Samherji made a payment of N$600 000 to Cambadara Trust, an entity in which Hatuikulipi and Sacky Shanghala share interests.
“The money was then further distributed from Cambadara to Erongo Clearing (N$150 000) also owned by James, Ricardo Gustavo (N$50 000) and James Hatuikulipi (N$380 000),” he said.
Kanyangela added that the N$150 000 paid to Erongo Clearing was then paid to former fisheries minister Benhard Esau via a Standard Bank cheque.
These transactions were allegedly conducted between 4 December 2012 and 21 December 2012.
