Legal Aid funding has taken centre stage in the Fishrot corruption trial, with defense lawyers telling the Windhoek High Court that they are not paid to prepare for trial.

The Windhoek High Court heard on Monday that lawyers appointed under Legal Aid in the Fishrot corruption case are not paid for preparing for trial but only for the days they physically appear in court; this situation, defence lawyers say, makes timely trial readiness impossible.

Questions have been raised over how legal aid lawyers are paid in one of the country's biggest corruption trials.

    
Allegations of unequal pay, unpaid legal work and special incentives for some have rocked the Ministry of Justice, as the Fishrot matter returns to court on Monday.

The Executive Director in the Ministry of Justice, Audrin Mathe, has said the ministry will issue a response on Monday following questions raised about the tariffs of the Legal Aid programme and alleged disparities in remuneration between defence lawyers and prosecutors in the Fishrot corruption trial.

The Minister of Justice and Labour Relations, Wise Immanuel, has highlighted progress made by his ministry over the past 6 years during a cabinet committee briefing at the Government Information Centre (GIC).

The ministry has issued 30 compliance orders, 20 of which are now under appeal. 

The Ministry of Justice has raised the income threshold for qualifying for legal aid from N$3,500 to N$7,000 per month.

Plans to improve the Otavi Magistrate's Court are on the recommendation cards following a visit by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Capital Projects and Legal Affairs, which found the building not conducive to court sessions.