Allexer Namundjembo
Social justice activist Michael Amushelelo has criticised Namib Desert Diamonds (Pty) Ltd. (NAMDIA) for its lack of transparency following the diamond heist that occurred nearly three weeks ago.
He visited NAMDIA offices on Tuesday, where he questioned why the state-owned enterprise has not disclosed the exact value of the stolen diamonds or held a media briefing to provide clarity on the incident.
“Namdia should understand that they are not a private company that can simply remain silent. It is a state-owned enterprise owned by the people of Namibia. Even a lady that sells tombo can exactly tell you how much tombo she has and its value, yet Namdia wants to inform the nation that they can’t determine the value of diamonds allegedly stolen,” he questioned.
He called on the nation to demand the immediate closure of Namdia pending the finalisation of investigations.
“Every Namdia employee must be treated as a suspect. Hence, they must all be suspended until the finalisation of investigations. We are now going to organise a national protest against Namdia because they think that we are fools. Our resources can’t just be stolen from us,” he said.
An undisclosed amount of diamonds was stolen in a daylight robbery, and NAMDIA has not revealed the value of the gems.
The Namibian reported on Monday that the police have allegedly restructured the team investigating the Namib Desert Diamonds (NAMDIA) diamond heist.
The newly appointed investigators include the head of protected resources, Commissioner Barry de Klerk, and the head of the Namibian Police Forensic Science Institute, Commissioner Nelius Becker.
The changes were allegedly made to keep the investigative team small and prevent information from leaking to the media.
On Monday the NAMDIA board temporarily suspended the CEO, Alisa Amupolo; chief operating officer, Uahoroka Kauta and security manager, Paulinus Sheyapo.
To ensure business continuity, Lelly Usiku has been appointed as the acting CEO.
Usiku, an economist with extensive experience at NAMDIA, has previously served as acting CEO.
NAMDIA indicated that the organisation is conducting a thorough internal investigation to determine the events leading up to the robbery and to strengthen future security measures.
The board emphasised that the suspensions were precautionary in order to preserve the integrity of the ongoing investigation and to protect the company’s interests.
“The decision to suspend the executives was not taken lightly,” the board stated. “While we do not suspect any employees beyond those already in custody, this precautionary measure is in the best interests of the company and the integrity of the investigation,” the statement read.
Despite the challenging circumstances, the NAMDIA Board reassured clients and stakeholders that the company remains committed to transparency, integrity, and operational security.
They also expressed confidence in Usiku’s leadership during this critical period.
As part of the ongoing recovery process following the robbery, NAMDIA is conducting a comprehensive internal investigation to determine the sequence of events leading up to the crime and to prevent any future attempts to breach security.
