![thumbnail](https://investigations.namibian.com.na/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/thumbnail-1-1068x604.jpg)
By Shinovene Immanuel, Sonja Smith | 7 February 2020
THE National Fishing Corporation of Namibia (Fishcor) paid N$50 million into law firm Ellis Shilengudwa Inc’s trust account in 2017, in transactions that are now part of the investigations into the Fishrot scandal.
Ten payments of N$5 million each were deposited in the law firm’s account over two days.
Ellis Shilengudwa Inc is co-owned by lawyer Jurie Badenhorst who has for years acted as a lawyer for disgraced former justice minister Sacky Shanghala and former Fishcor chairperson James Hatuikulipi.
Shanghala and Hatuikulipi are among six people who were arrested last year on charges of corruption, fraud and money laundering related to the Fishrot scandal. They have been held in custody for more than two months.
The law firm confirmed receiving N$50 million from Fishcor but says the transaction was legitimate and meant for a client – José Luis Bastos – who sold a fish factory to Fishcor.
Bank records show that the first of the 10 payments deposited with Ellis Shilengudwa Inc was on 31 January 2017. It involved six separate payments of N$5 million, totalling N$30 million.On 27 February, Fishcor deposited four more N$5 million payments with the law firm.
The ACC confirmed last month that it was investigating payments made into the Ellis Shilengundwa Inc trust account.
Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) director general Paulus Noa on Wednesday said the aim of the investigation is to establish whether or not there were any irregularities or illegalities.
“I can confirm that we are probing various transactions made to various law firms… such as Ellis Shilengudwa Inc and Sisa Namandje Inc” Noa said.
The national lawyers association is also probing some of these transactions.
Law Society of Namibia chairperson Meyer van den Berg said the society’s probe is being conducted in cooperation with the ACC and the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC).
“We are investigating several law firms. But we are doing so under the auspices of the
Legal Practitioners Act. I must mention that each of us are doing so with our own mandate,” Van den Berg told The Namibian last month.
DENIAL
Ellis Shilengundwa Inc board issued a statement to The Namibian yesterday, denying any wrongdoing.
“The N$50 million documented in your letter was paid to a seller as part of a transaction related to the acquisition of a fish processing factory in Walvis Bay following approval by the Namibian Competition Commission,” the law firm’s board said.
They said they uphold the highest standards and ethics and strongly refute any wrongdoing.
“We are not aware of any investigation into ESI by the Anti-Corruption Commission, nor have we been approached by the ACC,” the board said.
Ellis Shilengundwa Inc declined to go into detail over the payments but said “to be clear, our work with Fishcor is legitimate and is in no way related to any Fishrot allegations’’.
Fishrot involved a web of alleged money-making schemes conceived by former fisheries minister Bernhard Esau, Hatuikulipi, and Shangahala.
The Namibian reported two years ago that Fishcor – whose board was headed by Hatuikulipi – bought a fish factory at the coast for N$160 million in 2016 amid concerns that the parastatal overpaid by as much as N$50 million for the building.
![](https://investigations.namibian.com.na/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Screenshot-2020-06-26-at-12.25.22-PM-300x228.jpg)
When Etale Fishing put the hake processing factory on the market in 2015, the property was valued at N$110 million.
However, Walvis Bay businessman José Luis Bastos, a director of Etale at the time, bought the run-down factory that year for between N$70 million and N$85 million.
Bastos then sold it to Fishcor for N$160 million the following year.
Fishcor demolished the Etale factory to build a N$530 million horse mackerel factory.
People familiar with the project said this amount also appeared inflated, including the total construction cost.
In fact, Fishcor used a valuation report by property valuer Ingo Buchert, which said the factory was valued at N$171 million in 2016. Other valuators put the price at N$90 million.
Sources believe the factory transaction formed a key part of the Fishrot saga, aimed at channelling money from the national fishing company through various schemes. A person familiar with the investigation told The Namibian this week that there were more payments made to law firms by Fishcor.
“The payments made to them are worth more. It is not just the purchase of the property. There are questionable ones which are at the centre of the ACC investigations,” the official said.
PUZZLE
It is not clear why the N$50 million payment for Bastos was paid via Ellis Shilengundwa Inc instead of directly to him.
Bank records show that Fishcor later – in 2018 – paid N$17,5 million directly to Bastos. The payments – through J L Bastos T/a Farm Doornkaat – were as follows: N$12,2 million on 1 March 2018 and N$5,3 million on 3 March 2018.
Bastos told The Namibian yesterday that the transaction was finalised by his lawyer Pieter Hamman.
He, however, confirmed that he received the N$50 million from Fishcor.
“I was the owner of Etale fishing factory and I received a part payment of N$50 million.
The sale contract was done through a lawyer,” Bastos said.
He added that “now each year I am getting part payments. JL Bastos, T/A Farm Doornkaat is my private account.”
Fishcor bought the factory after former fisheries minister Bernhard Esau gifted them a N$1,8 billion guaranteed horse mackerel fishing quota for 15 years.
That is the same agreement that allowed Fishcor to team up with South African businessman Adriaan Jacobus Louw to form an entity called Seaflower Pelagic Processing which benefits from that 15-year quota.
That partnership – including the factory – is majority controlled by Louw [Through an Angolan company) and his foreign partners who have a 60% stake, with Fishcor having 40%.
Questionable payments were made from Fishcor when Mike Nghipunya was the chief executive officer and Paulus Ngalangi was the finance boss.
![](https://investigations.namibian.com.na/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Pulus-Ngalangi-1-1-300x175.jpg)
Hatuikulipi was chairperson of the board, which comprised Bennett Kangumu, Ndaendomwenyo Sheya, Ohanwgena governor Usko Nghaamwa, Kavango West governor Sirkka Ausiku, and ministry of fisheries executive director Moses Maurihungirire.
Fishcor’s current chairperson, Bennet Kangumu, said the N$50 million was a deposit for the factory.
“This is the land on which the Seaflower Pelagic Processing facility is constructed. The beneficiary of the funds is the previous owner of the property. The purchasing of land to expand our group of companies was board business”.
Kangumu added that “ESI is our external counsel and the amounts referred to in our responses to your questions being N$50 million was deposited into our trust account”.
JURIE BADENHORST
Lawyer Badenhorst served as Shanghala and Hatuikulipi’s lawyer for more than a decade.
Badenhorst was the lawyer for Hanganeni and Namibia Liquid Fuel, two entities owned by Shanghala and Hatuikulipi.
Namibia Liquid Fuel saw Shanghala, Hatuikulipi and his other Namibian partners pocket around N$150 million over three years without breaking a sweat.
They won a deal to partner with a South African company to import oil with Namcor under the guise of black economic empowerment.
Badenhorst threatened to sue reporters in 2006 over articles on the oil deal.
The Namibian asked Badenhorst yesterday to explain his long relationship with disgraced former minister Shanghala. He did not answer the question.
According to the statement, their firm has not had dealings with Namibia Liquid Fuel since 2013.
“The firm’s role was limited to the initial acquisition at Walvis Bay. The firm was not involved in the construction of the factory and we are not aware of any involvement in the process by the Office of the Attorney General.
“This is standard practice in conveyancing/commercial matters, and is nothing out of the ordinary,” Ellis Shilengundwa Inc said in the statement.
medicamentos disponible sin prescripción en farmacia de Colombia
SMB Voorschoten trouver des tablettes acheter
pin up: pin-up kazino – pin up azerbaijan
pin-up online casino https://azerbaijancuisine.com/# pin up 360
pin up
mexican drugstore online: northern doctors pharmacy – purple pharmacy mexico price list
https://northern-doctors.org/# mexican pharmacy
best online pharmacies in mexico [url=https://northern-doctors.org/#]mexican pharmacy[/url] п»їbest mexican online pharmacies
mexican border pharmacies shipping to usa: mexican northern doctors – п»їbest mexican online pharmacies
https://northern-doctors.org/# medicine in mexico pharmacies
mexican pharmacy: п»їbest mexican online pharmacies – reputable mexican pharmacies online
http://northern-doctors.org/# buying prescription drugs in mexico
buying prescription drugs in mexico online: mexican pharmacy northern doctors – buying prescription drugs in mexico
buying prescription drugs in mexico online [url=https://northern-doctors.org/#]Mexico pharmacy that ship to usa[/url] medication from mexico pharmacy
https://northern-doctors.org/# mexico pharmacies prescription drugs
buying prescription drugs in mexico: mexican pharmacy northern doctors – pharmacies in mexico that ship to usa
https://northern-doctors.org/# mexico drug stores pharmacies
mexican border pharmacies shipping to usa: mexican northern doctors – п»їbest mexican online pharmacies
https://northern-doctors.org/# buying from online mexican pharmacy
п»їbest mexican online pharmacies: mexican pharmacy northern doctors – mexican mail order pharmacies
mexican mail order pharmacies [url=http://northern-doctors.org/#]mexican pharmacy northern doctors[/url] buying prescription drugs in mexico online
best online pharmacies in mexico: northern doctors – mexican pharmaceuticals online
https://northern-doctors.org/# mexico pharmacy
purple pharmacy mexico price list: northern doctors – medicine in mexico pharmacies
mexico drug stores pharmacies: mexican northern doctors – mexico pharmacy
http://northern-doctors.org/# mexican border pharmacies shipping to usa
purple pharmacy mexico price list: mexican northern doctors – purple pharmacy mexico price list
https://northern-doctors.org/# mexico pharmacy
mexico drug stores pharmacies: buying prescription drugs in mexico – medication from mexico pharmacy
mexican online pharmacies prescription drugs [url=https://northern-doctors.org/#]Mexico pharmacy that ship to usa[/url] medicine in mexico pharmacies
mexican mail order pharmacies: mexican pharmacy – mexico pharmacy
https://northern-doctors.org/# mexican drugstore online
best online pharmacies in mexico: Mexico pharmacy that ship to usa – reputable mexican pharmacies online
mexico pharmacies prescription drugs [url=https://northern-doctors.org/#]mexican pharmacy northern doctors[/url] mexico drug stores pharmacies
http://northern-doctors.org/# mexico pharmacies prescription drugs
mexican drugstore online: northern doctors – mexico drug stores pharmacies
https://northern-doctors.org/# buying from online mexican pharmacy
mexican border pharmacies shipping to usa: mexican pharmacy – mexico drug stores pharmacies
mexico drug stores pharmacies: northern doctors – best online pharmacies in mexico
https://northern-doctors.org/# mexican border pharmacies shipping to usa
buying prescription drugs in mexico online: Mexico pharmacy that ship to usa – mexico drug stores pharmacies
http://northern-doctors.org/# buying prescription drugs in mexico
best online pharmacies in mexico [url=http://northern-doctors.org/#]northern doctors pharmacy[/url] medication from mexico pharmacy
mexican mail order pharmacies: mexican northern doctors – mexican border pharmacies shipping to usa
https://northern-doctors.org/# best online pharmacies in mexico
mexico pharmacy: mexican northern doctors – mexican drugstore online
http://northern-doctors.org/# mexico drug stores pharmacies
purple pharmacy mexico price list: northern doctors – mexico drug stores pharmacies
https://northern-doctors.org/# medication from mexico pharmacy
medication from mexico pharmacy: mexican pharmacy northern doctors – mexican online pharmacies prescription drugs
mexico pharmacies prescription drugs [url=http://northern-doctors.org/#]mexican pharmacy northern doctors[/url] medicine in mexico pharmacies
https://northern-doctors.org/# mexican pharmaceuticals online
п»їbest mexican online pharmacies: mexican pharmacy online – mexico drug stores pharmacies
buying prescription drugs in mexico online: northern doctors – mexican pharmaceuticals online
http://northern-doctors.org/# mexican pharmacy
buying from online mexican pharmacy: Mexico pharmacy that ship to usa – mexican pharmaceuticals online
medication from mexico pharmacy: mexican northern doctors – best online pharmacies in mexico
https://northern-doctors.org/# medicine in mexico pharmacies
mexican pharmaceuticals online [url=http://northern-doctors.org/#]northern doctors pharmacy[/url] mexican rx online
buying prescription drugs in mexico: northern doctors – medicine in mexico pharmacies
buying from online mexican pharmacy: northern doctors – buying prescription drugs in mexico online
pharmacies in mexico that ship to usa: mexican northern doctors – mexico pharmacies prescription drugs
http://cmqpharma.com/# п»їbest mexican online pharmacies
mexico pharmacy
reputable mexican pharmacies online [url=https://cmqpharma.online/#]mexico pharmacy[/url] mexican rx online
mexican drugstore online [url=https://cmqpharma.online/#]cmq mexican pharmacy online[/url] mexican online pharmacies prescription drugs
best online pharmacies in mexico [url=https://cmqpharma.com/#]mexican online pharmacy[/url] mexico pharmacies prescription drugs
mexican pharmacy: online mexican pharmacy – mexico pharmacy
reputable mexican pharmacies online [url=https://cmqpharma.online/#]mexico pharmacies prescription drugs[/url] mexican border pharmacies shipping to usa
mexican mail order pharmacies [url=https://cmqpharma.com/#]cmq pharma mexican pharmacy[/url] mexican online pharmacies prescription drugs
п»їbest mexican online pharmacies
https://cmqpharma.com/# mexico pharmacies prescription drugs
buying prescription drugs in mexico online
mexico drug stores pharmacies [url=https://cmqpharma.com/#]mexican mail order pharmacies[/url] medication from mexico pharmacy
https://cmqpharma.online/# mexico drug stores pharmacies
mexican rx online
medication from mexico pharmacy [url=https://cmqpharma.online/#]mexican pharmacy online[/url] buying from online mexican pharmacy
https://foruspharma.com/# mexican online pharmacies prescription drugs
mail order pharmacy india: pharmacy website india – cheapest online pharmacy india
indian pharmacy online: buy prescription drugs from india – indian pharmacy paypal
buying from online mexican pharmacy [url=https://foruspharma.com/#]pharmacies in mexico that ship to usa[/url] mexico drug stores pharmacies
india online pharmacy: top 10 pharmacies in india – best india pharmacy
http://foruspharma.com/# mexican border pharmacies shipping to usa
canadian drug pharmacy: best rated canadian pharmacy – adderall canadian pharmacy
mail order pharmacy india [url=http://indiapharmast.com/#]world pharmacy india[/url] reputable indian online pharmacy
best online pharmacy india: world pharmacy india – cheapest online pharmacy india
mexico drug stores pharmacies: mexican drugstore online – mexican drugstore online
Online medicine home delivery: online shopping pharmacy india – best online pharmacy india
https://indiapharmast.com/# online pharmacy india
mexican drugstore online: п»їbest mexican online pharmacies – mexico pharmacies prescription drugs
reliable canadian pharmacy: canadian online drugstore – legitimate canadian pharmacies
mexican mail order pharmacies: mexico pharmacies prescription drugs – mexico drug stores pharmacies
india pharmacy mail order: п»їlegitimate online pharmacies india – indian pharmacy online
https://paxloviddelivery.pro/# buy paxlovid online
paxlovid pill: paxlovid price – paxlovid india
http://doxycyclinedelivery.pro/# doxycycline order
amoxicillin 500mg prescription [url=http://amoxildelivery.pro/#]can i buy amoxicillin over the counter in australia[/url] amoxicillin buy canada
http://amoxildelivery.pro/# cost of amoxicillin prescription
where can i get generic clomid without rx: cheap clomid pills – where to buy generic clomid pill
https://clomiddelivery.pro/# how to get clomid for sale
https://doxycyclinedelivery.pro/# doxycycline 400 mg brand name
doxycycline 40 mg capsules [url=https://doxycyclinedelivery.pro/#]doxycycline price mexico[/url] doxycycline hydrochloride 100mg
https://ciprodelivery.pro/# ciprofloxacin 500 mg tablet price
http://amoxildelivery.pro/# purchase amoxicillin online without prescription
ciprofloxacin 500mg buy online [url=http://ciprodelivery.pro/#]cipro 500mg best prices[/url] purchase cipro
http://amoxildelivery.pro/# order amoxicillin online no prescription
http://paxloviddelivery.pro/# paxlovid buy
how to get generic clomid online [url=https://clomiddelivery.pro/#]how can i get generic clomid online[/url] where can i buy generic clomid without dr prescription
buy cipro online without prescription: ciprofloxacin generic – ciprofloxacin
http://ciprodelivery.pro/# п»їcipro generic
http://amoxildelivery.pro/# amoxacillian without a percription
paxlovid covid [url=https://paxloviddelivery.pro/#]paxlovid covid[/url] buy paxlovid online
https://paxloviddelivery.pro/# Paxlovid buy online
amoxicillin 500mg tablets price in india: amoxicillin 500mg buy online uk – order amoxicillin online no prescription
https://clomiddelivery.pro/# get clomid without rx
paxlovid price [url=https://paxloviddelivery.pro/#]Paxlovid buy online[/url] п»їpaxlovid
http://doxycyclinedelivery.pro/# doxycycline over the counter canada
https://clomiddelivery.pro/# can you buy cheap clomid without prescription
http://paxloviddelivery.pro/# paxlovid generic
can i purchase amoxicillin online [url=http://amoxildelivery.pro/#]amoxicillin for sale[/url] amoxicillin buy no prescription
order clomid price: can i purchase cheap clomid – get generic clomid without prescription
amoxicillin 1000 mg capsule: buy amoxicillin online cheap – amoxicillin generic