South Africa: Namibian Fishrot Paymaster Arrested in Western Cape Town
Marén de Klerk, the self-proclaimed paymaster in Namibia’s “Fishrot” corruption case, has been arrested in Paarl, South Africa, reports Mail & Guardian .
De Klerk is wanted by the Namibian government for corruption and money laundering related to the Fishrot scandal. The Namibian government had requested De Klerk’s extradition, and he faces a maximum penalty of 100 years in prison or a substantial fine if convicted.
De Klerk, who turned from a paymaster to a whistleblower, admitted to unwittingly committing crimes linked to the Fishrot scandal in a 500-page affidavit. He came to South Africa in 2020 out of fear for his life.
He is expected to appear in court for an extradition hearing.
