[AfrICANN-discuss] Communiqué from the AFRINIC Board of Directors and the Receiver

[Brian Munyao Longwe]

I am sharing here below a copy of an email sent to AFRINIC members calling
for an *urgent forensic audit* of AFRINIC. As much as this communique from
the board indicates that a regular audit has been initiated, this is
insufficient to address the concerns raised in my email.

A forensic audit goes beyond the regular financial audit scope. It is a
specialized examination of financial records to investigate potential
fraud, embezzlement, corruption, or other financial misconduct. Forensic
audits are usually initiated when there is a suspicion of wrongdoing or
when legal proceedings are anticipated (AFRINIC is currently already
embroiled in over 50 court cases).

If the board does not conduct a forensic audit then it means that they are
satisfied that there has been nothing untoward in the organizations affairs
and finances over the past 5-6 years. No breaches in policy, procedure,
regulations or laws. Because of the history, as well as evidence already
presented in open court in some cases which show that there definitely have
been breaches - failure by the current board to conduct a formal forensic
audit would be tantamount to a cover-up and, at least in my case as a
resource, a breach of trust and confidence.

Text from my email sent last week follows:

--

Dear Fellow AFRINIC Resource Members,

Now that a new Board is finally in place, after several years of
uncertainty, we stand at a defining moment for AFRINIC’s recovery and
reform. This Board carries the enormous responsibility of restoring
stability, transparency, and trust in an institution that has faced one of
the most turbulent chapters in its history.

For several years, AFRINIC has operated without a substantive CEO and
without a functioning Board, and during this period it has passed through
two court-appointed receivers. The organization is currently entangled in
numerous legal cases and continues to face serious allegations of fraud,
misappropriation, and corruption.

Given these circumstances, it is both reasonable and urgent that the new
Board commissions an *independent forensic audit*—covering the period of
receivership and the years preceding it. This audit should be
comprehensive, transparent, and conducted by a reputable, independent firm
with expertise in organizational governance and financial integrity.

Such an exercise would:

   - Provide the Board and community with a clear, factual picture of
   AFRINIC’s financial and operational condition;
   - Identify any instances of wrongdoing or governance failure;
   - Guide the Board on appropriate corrective and, where necessary,
   punitive actions;
   - Restore confidence among members, partners, and the wider Internet
   community that AFRINIC is committed to accountability and reform.

This is not merely an administrative step—it is a matter of institutional
survival and credibility. AFRINIC cannot rebuild on a foundation of
uncertainty. A forensic audit is the first, essential step toward renewal.

Let us encourage and support the new Board to act decisively,
transparently, and in the best interest of the community

Thank you,

Brian

Brian Longwe | CEO | Converged Technology Networks


On Mon, Oct 13, 2025 at 7:50 AM AFRINIC Communication via AfrICANN <
africann at afrinic.net> wrote:

> [Joint Statement from the AFRINIC Board of Directors and the Receiver]
>
>
> Dear  AFRINIC Resource Members and Internet Community,
>
>
> The AFRINIC Board of Directors and the Receiver, Mr. Gowtamsingh Dabee,
> wish to inform
>
> all AFRINIC Resource Members and the AFRINIC Internet Community that both
> parties are
>
> working in close collaboration to fulfil AFRINIC’s obligations to its
> members, employees, and
>
> stakeholders, as well as to the broader regional and international
> Internet community.
>
> On 08 October 2025, the Receiver filed his report titled “Application for
> Termination of
>
> Receivership” before the Supreme Court (Bankruptcy Division) of Mauritius,
> thereby initiating
>
> the process for his formal release. A decision of the Honourable Court is
> currently awaited.
>
> The Board extends its sincere appreciation to Mr. Dabee for his dedication
> and invaluable
>
> efforts in guiding AFRINIC to this significant stage, one where a Board of
> Directors is now in
>
> place.
>
> The Board notes that certain legal proceedings initiated against AFRINIC,
> both prior to and
>
> following the recent elections, remain ongoing. The Board will work
> towards a quick resolution
>
> of these matters, thereby enabling AFRINIC to resume full and normal
> operations. Until the
>
> Receiver’s formal discharge by the Honourable Court, Mr. Dabee has
> graciously agreed to
>
> continue supporting AFRINIC in implementing the necessary steps following
> the appointment
>
> of Directors.
>
>
> *AFRINIC Staff and Leadership Transition*
>
> The Board and the Receiver wish to commend the AFRINIC staff for their
> dedication,
>
> professionalism, and resilience in maintaining operations under
> unprecedented
>
> circumstances, including functioning without a Chief Executive Officer for
> nearly three years.
>
> We reaffirm our commitment to supporting, protecting, and recognising
> staff for their service.
>
> Both the Board and the Receiver are working closely to identify short- and
> long-term solutions
>
> for the recruitment of a new Chief Executive Officer at the earliest
> possible opportunity.
>
>
> *Membership and IP Resources*
>
> The Board is currently reviewing matters related to IP resource
> allocations and the rights of all
>
> Resource Members who have joined AFRINIC since June 2022. This matter,
> being the subject
>
> of ongoing court proceedings, is receiving careful legal consideration.
>
> The Board also reiterates its commitment to the integrity of AFRINIC’s
> WHOIS database and
>
> the protection of members’ IP resource rights.
>
>
> *Board Committees*
>
> Recognising the substantial volume of work ahead, the following
> sub-committees of the Board
>
> have been constituted to strengthen governance and assist in its functions:
>
> • Finance Committee – chaired by Ms. Carla Sanderson
>
> • Audit Committee – chaired by Dr. Fiona Asonga
>
> • Remuneration Committee – chaired by Mr. Laurent Ntumba
>
> • Legal Committee – chaired by Mr. Ben Roberts
>
> These committees will review the work that has been paused since 2022 and
> realign
>
> AFRINIC’s governance as the organisation enters 2026. The newly
> constituted Legal
>
> Committee has been mandated to take stock of all ongoing legal cases
> involving AFRINIC,
>
> with the objective of optimising legal resources and ensuring that AFRINIC
> maintains an
>
> appropriate and coherent legal strategy moving forward.
>
>
> *Appointment of Auditor and Financial Reports*
>
> In accordance with AFRINIC’s statutory obligations, the Receiver has
> appointed Forvis
>
> Mazars, a licensed firm by the Mauritius Financial Reporting Council
> (FRC), as external auditor
>
> to conduct financial audits for the years 2022, 2023, and 2024.
>
> This appointment was made under exceptional circumstances, in the absence
> of an Annual
>
> General Members’ Meeting (AGMM), to respond to stakeholder requests for
> audited financial
>
> statements and to ensure the continuity of AFRINIC’s operations.
>
> Preliminary assessments indicate that significant work remains to be
> completed. The audit
>
> exercises are ongoing and are expected to be finalised shortly. The audit
> partners are currently
>
> reviewing the audit files.
>
> The Board is reviewing the financial reports for 2022–2024, which will be
> published online
>
> once approved. A summary of the audited reports will also be made
> available on the AFRINIC
>
> website to ensure transparency and accountability.
>
>
> *Special General Members’ Meeting*
>
> The Board recognises the need to convene a Special General Members’
> Meeting (SGMM) to
>
> present the company’s 2021 audited financial statements.
>
> Members will recall that during the last AGMM in 2022, the resolution to
> adopt the Audited
>
> Financial Statement for the year ended 31 December 2021 was not approved,
> and
>
> consequently, the Companies Act requires that where “the financial
> statements are not
>
> approved at the annual meeting, they shall be presented at a further
> special meeting called
>
> by the Board”.
>
> The Board is reviewing the appropriate course of action and will shortly
> revert to the
>
> membership with the proposed way forward.
>
>
> *Legal Matters and Investigations*
>
> The Legal Committee is reviewing information concerning the alleged use of
> fraudulent Power
>
> of Attorney (PoA) or “Power to Vote” documents during the aborted June
> 2025 elections.
>
> These documents are reportedly with the relevant investigatory authorities
> in Mauritius. The
>
> Board will update members once preliminary investigations are completed,
> and a
>
> comprehensive update will follow upon the Committee’s review of all
> ongoing litigations and
>
> related legal matters.
>
>
> *Policy Development and Community Representation*
>
> The Board recognises the importance of relaunching the Policy Development
> Process (PDP)
>
> as a core mechanism of the bottom-up governance model and as a requirement
> under the
>
> ICP-2 framework.
>
> In this regard, the Board will soon reopen PDP discussions, issue a call
> for Policy Development
>
> Working Group (PDWG) Co-Chairs, and invite the submission or resubmission
> of policy
>
> proposals for community review.
>
> A key prerequisite will be to ensure that all community mailing lists
> maintain an atmosphere of
>
> civility and constructive engagement.
>
> Additionally, the Board is taking steps to reconstitute key community
> structures, including the
>
> African representatives to the NRO NC / ASO AC, to ensure full and
> balanced regional
>
> representation in the global Internet ecosystem.
>
>
> *Governance Committee*
>
> The Board has taken note that the mandate of the members of the previous
> Governance
>
> Committee (GovCom) has ended. The Board is reviewing its composition and
> mandate to
>
> ensure alignment with AFRINIC’s current governance priorities.
>
> Suggestions received from members have been noted, and further updates on
> the
>
> reconstitution of the Committee will be communicated in due course.
>
>
> *Bylaws Review and Institutional Reform*
>
> In light of the circumstances that led to AFRINIC’s recent challenges, the
> Board recognises
>
> the urgent need for a comprehensive review of the Bylaws and institutional
> reform to
>
> strengthen governance and ensure AFRINIC’s long-term sustainability.
>
> A call for volunteers to participate in this critical reform exercise will
> be issued in due course.
>
> The Board invites all Resource Members and community stakeholders to
> actively participate
>
> in rebuilding AFRINIC.
>
>
> *Conclusion*
>
> The AFRINIC Board of Directors and the Receiver reaffirm their joint
> commitment to rebuilding
>
> trust, restoring stability, and re-establishing AFRINIC’s reputation and
> legitimacy as a key actor
>
> in the global Internet ecosystem.
>
> We will continue to engage with multistakeholder organisations that have
> supported AFRINIC
>
> through these challenging years, including ICANN, ISOC, the NRO, local
> authorities, and other
>
> regional and international partners, as collaboration remains vital to the
> strength of the
>
> Regional Internet Registry system.
>
> The Board is also committed to deepening engagement with its membership,
> consistent with
>
> the bottom-up model. To this end, regular Board-Community Engagement
> Sessions will be
>
> introduced, both online and in person, to listen to members’ views and
> gather feedback on the
>
> way forward.
>
>
> AFRINIC Board of Directors and the Receiver
>
> _______________________________________________
> AfrICANN mailing list
> AfrICANN at afrinic.net
> https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo/africann
>
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