The Windhoek Magistrate’s Court was told Friday that Maren de Klerk, one of the lawyers who allegedly played a pivotal role in the Fishrot scandal is admitted in a psychiatric centre in South Africa.
Lawyer Richard Metcalfe who is representing former fisheries minister Bernard Esau and his son-in-law Tamson Hatuikulipi told the court.
Metcalfe was continuing with cross-examination of state witnesses in day five of the court. The case has been postponed to 21 July 2020 for further oral submissions.
This detail came out when Metcalfe asked the second ACC investigator Carl Cloete whether he was aware that De Klerk was in a psychiatric centre.
The ACC has in the past said they are aware of De Klerk’s whereabouts and that they did not need him back in the country now.
De Klerk, who has represented former justice minister Sacky Shanghala on several occasions, co-owns De Klerk, Horn and Coetzee Inc whose account was used to transfer about N$76m from Fishcor.
The lawyer is alleged to have then disbursed the money to several people some of whom bought properties.
De Klerk skipped the country on 17 January 2020 just after the ACC had interviewed him regarding the money.
His partners have since distanced themselves from De Klerk’s activities where money was paid to politicians as well as the Swapo Party, according to the ACC investigator Willem Olivier.
Horn told The Namibian early this year that he was clueless about the whereabouts of De Klerk.
“That’s according to our knowledge. I don’t know when he will return,” Horn said, adding that he knew about a probe that was going on.
“All I can say is that we will give our full cooperation to any institution,” Horn said.
