No surprises in legal proceedings in Namibia

It was reported this morning that the prosecutor intends to bring charges against Namibian companies affiliated with Samherji in a case that is currently being tried in a court in Windhoek, Namibia. More than twenty Namibian nationals are on trial, but this morning it was announced that the prosecutor intends to add charges against three Namibian companies affiliated with Samherji and their management. Under Namibian law, charges against these companies automatically result in their directors being charged in their capacities.

The planned charges are not surprising in light of the accusations made by prosecutors in Namibia before and are more or less all based on the statements of Jóhannes Stefánsson, who ran the operations in Namibia but whose employment was terminated in the summer of 2016.

The Namibian operations of companies affiliated with Samherji were discontinued at the end of 2019 and work is underway to dissolve the companies once and for all. Accusations against the companies in question and individuals on their behalf are no more valid now than they were before. This case will continue and will be heard in the next months. If charges are issued against the companies, Samherji will have the first opportunity to present its defence, and the charges will be vigorously defended in court.