The Supreme Court is expected to hear an appeal next month from several individuals accused in the Fishrot corruption scandal, who are contesting a court order that has resulted in the freezing of their assets.
The Leader of the Landless People's Movement (LPM), Bernardus Swartbooi, has criticised the State for allegedly keeping accused persons in the Fishrot corruption case in custody for extended periods.
The Fishrot accused will hear today if their case will continue to be heard at the Otjozondjupa Courtroom, which is situated at the Windhoek Correctional Facility.
The Fishrot corruption trial, set to commence today before High Court Judge Moses Chinhengo, has been postponed to Thursday, 6 February, due to the judge's unavailability.
Judge Moses Chinhengo has ordered that the criminal trial in the Fishrot matter continue.
The accused persons will continue to take pleas on the remaining charges from September 2 to 6 and 10 to 13.
High Court Judge Moses Chinhengo has dismissed two motions from the Fishrot accused, Sacky Shanghala, James Hatuikulipi, and Pius Mwatelulo, who sought legal advice from the court on how to proceed with the case.
Judge Chinhengo clarified that the court can only offer directions and not legal advice.
Judge Moses Chinengu has dismissed Sacky Shanghala's application, allowing the Fishrot scandal's main trial to proceed.
Shanghala, a key figure in the case, had sought the judge's recusal and the quashing of some charges against him and his co-accused.
The Fishrot case has taken another significant turn, with High Court Acting Judge Moses Chinhengo denying the application for leave to appeal against his earlier decision not to recuse himself.
Fishrot accused Nigel Van Wyk will hear tomorrow if Judge Moses Chinhengo will recuse himself from presiding over the largest corruption scandal Namibia has seen.
Van Wyk, through his lawyer Mbanga Siyumunji, applied for the recusal of Chinhengo, citing bias and fear of not receiving a fair trial.
The ongoing Fishrot trial has been suspended again after defence lawyer Mbanga Siyomunji filed a recusal motion against Judge Moses Chinhengo.
Siyomunji's client, Nigel Van Wyk, accuses Chinhengo of bias in his application, saying that he fears an unfair trial with Chinhengo on the bench.
