UPDATE: High Court Judges of Appeal Claudia Claasen and Eileen Rakow have dismissed an appeal by diamond heist accused suspect Joel Angula to release him on bail. Angula, in April 2026, brought forth an application asking the High Court to overturn a decision by the lower Magistrate’s Court to deny him bail. Angula had, amidst several grounds, argued that the magistrate erred in law and in fact, as there was no clear chain of evidence provided to prove that the objects found at his home had indeed been unpolished diamonds. The State alleges that 13 parcels of diamonds worth N$4.8 million were found hidden at Angula’s Khomasdal residence in Windhoek on 19 January 2026, a day after the deadly Namib Desert Diamonds (Namdia) Ltd Pty heist, wherein thieves took off with diamonds worth over N$300 million.
Angula, who is a former police officer and a former security officer at Namdia, is charged with multiple counts ranging from murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, possession of uncut diamonds, and two counts of attempted murder.
Close to 10 suspects have been arrested in the Namdia robbery to date, with another two suspects, Bino and George Cloete from Keetmanshoop, currently also appealing their denial of bail.
The Cloete brothers are siblings of Charles Rhoman, another Namdia security officer who had been arrested in relation to the heist. After allegedly being handed the illicit cash by Rhoman, the Cloete brothers had gone on a livestock and luxury purchasing spree.
To date, over N$290 million worth of the stolen diamonds has still not been recovered.
Photo: File
