Namibia’s Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform, Mac-Albert Hengari, has resigned just 27 days after his appointment, following his arrest on Saturday.
According to the Namibia Broadcasting Corporation (NBC), the arrest was confirmed by Press Secretary at the Presidency, Alfredo Hengari. The former minister was taken into custody along with another individual, reportedly a relative of the alleged victim.
Police Inspector General Joseph Shikongo said formal charges would be filed on Sunday, with a court appearance expected on Monday. While full details were not disclosed, Shikongo confirmed Hengari is under investigation for 11 serious charges, including kidnapping, rape, and assault.
NBC reported that the arrest followed allegations that Hengari attempted to bribe a victim to drop a case involving repeated sexual contact with a minor between 2019 and September 2024. The police described the circumstances as leaving them with “no option” but to detain him.
Hengari’s resignation marks a rare instance of a sitting minister in Namibia stepping down after being arrested. It recalls the 2019 resignations of former ministers Sacky Shanghala and Bernhard Esau, who were implicated in the high-profile “Fishrot” corruption scandal involving bribery and money laundering in the fishing sector.