Former minister of fisheries and marine resources Bernhard Esau has won a High Court case to get access to some of his assets that are under a restraint order, to enable him to pay his lawyers in the Fishrot case.
A total amount of about N$3,5 million should be released from Esau’s assets that are under a Prevention of Organised Crime Act restraint order, judge Beatrix de Jager ordered in the Windhoek High Court on Wednesday.
De Jager also ordered that the funds be paid into a bank account of the law firm Metcalfe Beukes Attorneys, which has been representing Esau in the Fishrot case about the alleged corrupt use of Namibian fishing quotas approved by Esau during his tenure as fisheries minister.
Esau applied for a court order to have about N$1,2 million released from his restrained assets to pay his current legal expenses.
He also applied to have about N$2,3 million released from his restrained assets to cover his expected future legal expenses.
The amounts De Jager ordered to be released could be lower if the legal fees that Esau has to pay are assessed to be less than has been stated by his lawyers, the court’s order says.
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