Windhoek High Court postpones Law Society, Sisa Namandje case

The Windhoek High Court has postponed to tomorrow a case in which the Law Society of Namibia (LSN) wants to access the trust account of Sisa Namandje's law firm. Judge Herman Oosthuizen has postponed the hearing after hearing initial arguments from the Law Society of Namibia (LSN) and the Sisa Namandje Incorporated's lawyer. LSN lawyer, Unomuinjo Katjipuka-Sibolile says the society is duty-bound to hold legal practitioners accountable and its request is not to investigate the law firm's clients. The society argues that there are reasons enough to believe that, Namandje's trust account could have been used to launder money. LSN's main evidence derives from Aljazera's 'Anatomy of a Bribe' documentary and an initial probe by the Financial Intelligence Centre. That documentary had tipped Namandje and Walvis Bay-based lawyer Kadhilo Amoomo as a fixer for people who seek to secure fishing rights. It further hints at the use of Namandje's trust account as a conduit for payments made to several key suspects in the Fishrot scandal. However, Raymond Heathcote appearing for Namandje and his law firm say the LSN has no authority to request trust account information. He says the request is unconstitutional and unethical, as it violates client-attorney privilege.