ON 8 July 2021, The Namibian published an article on the front page headlined “Drought millions paid to deputy minister’s company”.
In the article, we erroneously reported that Mediva Fisheries — co-owned by deputy agriculture minister Anna Shiweda, her husband Mathias Shiweda, and Swapo Elders Council leader Mukwaita Shanyengana — was paid N$2,1 million that was diverted from Fishcor.
It was pointed out to us after the publication that the article was incorrect in reporting that the company of Anna and Mathias Shiweda and Shanyengana, Mediva Fisheries, was part of this transaction.
Documents submitted to the Anti-Corruption Commission state that the N$2,1 million was paid to ‘Mediva’.
We misinterpreted this to mean Mediva Fisheries.
The money was paid through Flamingo In-Flight Catering owned by corruption-accused businessman James Hatuikulipi and former justice minister Sacky Shanghala. Hatuikulipi and Shanghala also own a company called Mediva Holdings. Leevi Hungamo, the co-owner of Flamingo In-Flight Catering told on Friday that the bank statement indicates that the money was transferred to ‘Mediva – Erf 1980’ but not Mediva Fisheries.
We retract our previous reporting that said N$2,1 million was paid to Mediva Fisheries.
also retracts the headline ‘Drought millions paid to deputy minister’s company’ and all references in that article that refer to Mediva Fisheries and its owners.
unreservedly apologises to the Shiwedas, Shanyengana and Mediva Fisheries for any inconvenience or distress caused by the article.
