Nigel van Wyk, a co-accused in the Fishrot scandal, denied any wrongdoing or unlawfully gaining any proceeds from companies implicated in the ongoing corruption case when he testified during his bail hearing application today.

His arrest, he says, was circumstantial as he was found with laptops and desktop screens, which he collected from Sackey Shanghala's house.

At the time, Shanghala was already in detention.

Van Wyk stated before Justice David Munsu that he worked as an employee for a private company owned by two other accused persons, Shanghala and Tamson Hatuikulipi.

His duties at the company involved making payments or receiving payments.

Van Wyk was also previously an employee of Shanghala at the Ministry of Justice before resigning to work for Shanghala and Hatuikulipi's private company.

He maintains that he accounted for all the money he dealt with and that any personal funds he received were limited to his salary and benefits.

Van Wyk, together with former Fisheries Minister Bernhardt Esau, have filed a bail application before the High Court following previous unsuccessful attempts in lower courts.

However, Esau's hospitalization due to deteriorating medical conditions prevented him from participating in today's proceedings.

Van Wyk is represented by his legal counsel, Mbanga Siyomunje, who is conducting the examination in chief.

The state has yet to cross-examine van Wyk, and the matter remains under the court's consideration.

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Photo Credits
New Era Newspaper

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Author
Daniel Nadunya