ACC investigates Esau

THE ANTI-CORRUPTION Commission is investigating fisheries minister Bernhard Esau over the alleged illegal allocation of a 10 000 metric tonne horse mackerel quota to state-owned fishing company Fishcor, which holds hake fishing rights.

ACC investigations chief Nelius Becker confirmed the investigation of the Fishing Corporation of Namibia (Fishcor), saying investigators would also look into how Fishcor chairperson James Hatuikulipi was appointed.

The comes after a 2014 report in The Namibian that Esau contravened the Fishcor Act after he appointed James Hatuikilipi as chairperson, instead of letting the other board members do the appointment as per the law.

Esau contravened the Fishcor Act of 1991, which states that, “the directors shall appoint one of their number as chairperson of the board, who shall preside at all meetings of the board at which he or she is present and who in the event of an equality of votes on any matter shall have a casting vote in addition to his or her deliberative vote”.

Hatuikulipi’s fellow board members at the time told The Namibian that he was appointed by the minister.

In 2014 Esau insisted that his appointment of Hatuikulipi was based on the State-Owned Enterprises Act of 2008, which he claimed gave him the power to appoint board members and the chairperson.

Hatuikulipi is related to Esau’s son-in-law Fitty Tamson Hatuikulipi, who is married to Esau’s daughter Ndapandula. Hatuikulipi defended his appointment and threatened to sue The Namibian at the time, saying his appointment was done on merit and not on his relations with the minister.

The Namibian also reported that Esau contravened the Marine Resources Act of 2000 when he allocated 10 000 metric tonnes of horse mackerel to Fishcor, while the company holds hake fishing rights. Fishcor later sold the quota for N$30 million.

Esau told The Namibian that the quota had saved the ailing company which had gone bankrupt and he was thus willing to contravene the law in allocating the quota.