Former Fisheries Minister Bernhardt Esau is set to spend another Christmas in the confines of the Windhoek Correctional Facility, as High Court Judge David Munsu ruled that he would remain in custody pending trial.

The judge underscored Esau's clear and prominent involvement in all alleged syndicates linked to the Fishrot scandal, based on preliminary evidence presented by the state during bail proceedings.

On the other hand, Nigel Van Wyk, associated with the scandal through his employment at Shanghala's company, has been granted bail under stringent conditions.

Farming communities in the Omaheke Region are objecting to the granting of bail to suspects who are involved in stock theft.

The group is of the opinion that stock theft has become a serious concern in recent years, and this has robbed them of their livelihoods.

Reading the petition, the Chairperson of the Community Against Stock Theft Organisation, Nanda Murangi, says most of the suspects of stock theft are repeat offenders and always get away with bail.

The 14 people arrested in a swoop operation on October 4 on charges of transnational internet fraud and trafficking in persons appeared in the Windhoek Magistrate's Court this afternoon.

The case was postponed to February 15, 2024 for further investigations, and bail was refused to all.

Of those arrested, many of those deemed foreigners were indicated on the charge sheet as being Namibian citizens.

The accused were arrested at several properties across Winhoek in a late-night swoop on October 3.

42-year-old Malakia Shipanga was denied bail during his first appearance in the Walvis Bay Magistrate's Court for the murder of a 36-year-old man in Kuisebmond, Walvis Bay, over the weekend.

According to the incident report provided by the Erongo Police, a fight broke out at a house on Kilimandjaro Street in the Tutaleni suburb of Kuisebmond around 15:20 on Sunday.

The retired Education Director for the Zambezi Region, Innocent Mahoto, who stands accused of raping a minor and human trafficking, was granted bail by Katima Mulilo Magistrate Davy Kambinda on Friday.

The incident came to light through the police suggestion box: he impregnated a 15-year-old Zambian girl whose parents worked for him.

His lawyer, Bernard Tjatjara, submitted an urgent application for bail when his client made his first court appearance a week ago.

A traditional healer suspected of murder was denied bail at the Rundu Magistrate's Court on Friday.

This decision comes in light of the deaths of two women at Kandjara Village, located in the Ndiyona Constituency of Kavango East.

The deceased women had sought treatment from the traditional healer, Andrew Haushiku Mberema, prior to their untimely demise.

45-year-old Mberema initially fled the village but later surrendered himself to the police in Ndiyona on Wednesday.

Three men who appeared at the Rundu Magistrate's Court for illegal timber harvesting have been denied bail.

The three, John Shininge, Paulus Leevi, and Sebastian Sitwafa, were arrested at Rundu after they were found in possession of 76 timber planks and a processing machine.

The suspects could not provide a permit permitting them to harvest timber.

The case is postponed to July 25.

Dimbulukeni Nauyoma and Michael Amushelelo, prominent social justice activists, are set to formally apply for bail before the Katutura Magistrate's Court following their recent arrest during a peaceful demonstration against the high unemployment rate in Namibia.

The bail hearing application of Nigel van Wyk, one of the accused in the fishrot scandal, has been postponed to 11 April.

Van Wyk is remanded in custody until his next appearance.

Responding to questions from his lawyer, Mbanga Siyomunje, Van Wyk submitted that his separation from his family had taken a toll on their livelihoods and his wife's health.

He thus urged the Court to uphold the Constitutional provision of protecting families.

A group of farmers from Okakarara Constituency is demanding that the Magistrate's Court stop granting bail to stock theft suspects.

The farmers, under the banner of the Okakarara Residents Association Fighting for Development, claim repeat offenders set free on bail continue with the same criminal activities.

The fed-up farmers held a demonstration on Monday in front of the Okakarara Magistrate's Court, where the spokesperson, Mbimbi Kambaekua, said they are losing livestock to rustlers every other week.