Hertta-Maria Amutenja
Businessman José Luis Bastos and Emeritus Fishing (Pty) Ltd have denied that any fishing dividends were ever paid to the late founding president, Sam Nujoma, in his personal capacity.
Bastos’ lawyer, Richard Metcalfe, said the Sam Nujoma Foundation, not Nujoma himself, holds a 20% share in Emeritus Fishing.
He said the company distributes audited dividends annually to shareholders in line with corporate governance procedures.
“The skewered and false article pertaining to fishing dividends allegedly paid to the deceased Founding President is fake and false,” said Metcalfe.
He further stated that the Foundation appointed John Nauta as the nominee director on 27 February 2018.
“Aside from a director’s fee and subsistence and travel allowance, Mr Nauta has received no personal payments from the company,” Metcalfe said.
He also stated that Emeritus Fishing submits its audited financial statements to NamRA, the police, the Anti-Corruption Commission, and the courts.
The company said it donates most of its profits to charitable causes, with N$16.8 million donated between 2017 and 2021.
“No fishing dividends have ever been paid to the Founding President in his personal capacity and to Mr John Nauta,” the company stated.
Metcalfe also addressed questions about a 5 000 square metre plot donated by the Walvis Bay municipality to Nujoma in 2007.
The land was later developed into a housing complex known as President’s View, reportedly in partnership with Bastos.
He said Nujoma entered into a commercial agreement with Bastos and that “ample quid pro quo was given to the founding president in respect of the President’s View, which cost Mr Bastos over N$30 million to develop.”
Metcalfe added that, for security reasons, Nujoma chose to receive other immovable property instead of a unit in the development.
“At no stage since these commercial transactions were concluded 12 years prior to the death of the Founding President was he ever constrained to query this transaction with Mr Luis Bastos,” Metcalfe said.
The Sam Nujoma Foundation, established in 2005 to support education and social development, is chaired by former prime minister Nahas Angula.
Last week, Angula said the board of trustees was unaware of the foundation’s shareholding in Emeritus Fishing.
Efforts to get further clarification from the Foundation’s secretariat are ongoing.
Emeritus Fishing was founded by Bastos in 2001 and is majority-owned by the Bastos Family Trust.
Other shareholders include Harvard Marine Enterprises, the Narraville Elderly Home, and the Sam Nujoma Foundation.
