Authorities investigating the Namib Desert Diamond 18 January robbery have their eyes set on at least two more Namdia officials for their alleged involvement in the daring heist.
The Issue has learnt that investigations have crossed into South Africa, with authorities now believing that the stolen gems landed in the hands of an illicit diamond smuggling syndicate operating from that country.
At the centre of the current twist in this tale are two Namdia protection officers, Charles Rhoman and Wenzel Dreyer, who authorities are alleging played a role in the robbery.
The two have not been arrested nor charged with anything in connection to the case. They have also not been suspended from their duties at the parastatal. Dreyer has reported for duty this week, while Rhoman is believed to be on sick leave.
“I am working and cooperating with the law enforcement with regard to the investigation. I have no further comment,” said Dreyer in an email response to questions about his alleged involvement in the heist and whether he is a suspect in the case.
However, The Issue understands that the multi-agency task team investigating the heist believes that the two played a role in getting the diamonds out of the Namdia premises on the day of the heist and delivering them to the black market syndicate in South Africa.
Law enforcement sources told The Issue that the breakthrough in the case came after a nightclub belonging to Port Nolloth-based convicted diamond dealer and his brother bought livestock worth N$117 500 for Rhoman and his relatives.
This discovery is seen as the key that unlocked the investigations into the 18 January Namib Desert Diamond heist, which left two people dead and resulted in the disappearance of 47 481.10 carats of diamonds valued at approximately N$259 million.
The Issue has now learnt that major developments in the investigations came as a result of the 5 May arrest of Bino Jaco Cloete, George Jones Cloete and his wife Charmaine Shireen Cloete at Keetmanshoop. The three are relatives of Namdia employee and protection officer Charles Rhoman.
Rhoman has not been arrested nor charged. He has also not responded to questions sent via text this week.
New information shows that a law enforcement task force investigating the murder, robbery and theft emanating from the 18 January heist led to the Cloetes of Keetmanshoop being arrested. A modest family just getting by on Charmaine Cloete’s N$25 000 monthly salary was flagged for suddenly having plenty to spend. The Cloetes’ lives changed from the end of January, with their financial fortunes mysteriously increasing drastically.
Law enforcement sources told The Issue that pieces of the puzzle only started falling into place after the Cloetes were arrested. The three appeared again in the Keetmanshoop Magistrate’s Court this week. The matter was postponed to November.
CRYPTO CARDS
The name Port Nolloth has over the years become synonymous with the height of Namibia’s prolific illicit diamond smuggling era of the 1980s and early 1990s. Diamonds smuggled out of Oranjemund were most likely sold or traded to Port Nolloth, a town even colloquially baptised Opoto among the Oshiwambo-speaking diamond mine workers.
This is a sleepy fishing and former mining town of about 10 000 inhabitants along South Africa’s Northern Cape, situated about 90km south of Oranjemund, Namibia’s diamond mining hub. The Namaqualand town remains notorious for illicit underground smuggling and criminal syndicates.
After the 5 May arrest of the Cloetes in Keetmanshoop, police investigations uncovered that Namdia employee Charles Rhoman was in contact with his relatives from Keetmanshoop. Bino and George Cloete then drove to Port Nolloth in South Africa on 28 January where they spent about eight hours before returning to Keetmanshoop.
During that period, George Cloete had regular phone contact with Daniel Caldeira Viljoen, also known as Nico Viljoen, a convicted diamond dealer.
When the Cloete brothers returned from Port Nolloth the unusual spending started. The Issue understands that Bino Cloete, who did not have a bank account before opening one the next day, deposited N$13 000 into it.
They were also equipped with unknown Red cryptocurrency-backed bank cards. The accounts backing these cards appear to be out of reach for authorities in Namibia. But the Cloetes had a problem: they could not withdraw money from the bank with these cards, but they could purchase high-value goods, like vehicles and household appliances, with the cards. The Cloetes also allegedly started using a cashback system to channel the money into their Namibian bank accounts. This system basically means one pays more for purchasing goods and would ask the outlet to refund them either in cash or transfer the money to a different account. For example, during April George Cloete allegedly paid more than N$81 500 for goods costing N$1 500, at a local grocery shop, using his obscure cryptocurrency card. He then asked that the remaining N$80 000 be paid into his Namibian bank account.
Between 29 January and 30 April, the Cloetes received about N$2.5 million into their bank accounts and they spent N$1.9 million of that money. During February they used about N$1 million to buy three cars and a trailer from Windhoek. Their Windhoek shopping spree, with the cryptocurrency cards, also extended to livestock, expensive clothing and electronics. Authorities believe the suspects acquired 211 sheep and 68 goats between February and April.
But the break in the case came from two transactions, where the money used originated from what looked like a ‘flagged’ South African bank account. On 10 February George Cloete bought his wife Charmaine a vehicle for N$530 000 in Windhoek. The second was a 4 April N$117 500 livestock transaction at Maltahohe.
The South African bank account where the money originated from, law enforcement sources said, belongs to Black White Club in Port Nolloth. The club, according to law enforcement sources, belongs to convicted diamond dealer Nico Viljoen and his brother Carlos Caldeira Viljoen.
“I don’t have time for this shit; let the police do their work and not you,” said Nico Viljoen in a brief phone conversation. He also referred The Issue to his lawyer but refused to give his lawyer’s name or contact details.
The Maltahohe transaction also exposed Namdia employee Charles Rhoman’s involvement. Rhoman, The Issue has learnt, negotiated and arranged for the purchase of the N$117 500 livestock in Maltahohe but allegedly insisted that all the paperwork in the transaction must be in the names of his siblings, one of whom is George Cloete. The second batch of livestock was delivered to a separate farm in the name of Rhoman’s sister (name known to The Issue).
FAMILY CONNECTIONS
Police investigations are said to have revealed a possible link between Joel Angula, who was arrested the day after the heist in January, and his two colleagues Rhoman and Wenzel Dreyer.
Angula and his relative Sam Shololo remain in police custody for their role in the heist. Shololo was arrested on the scene the day of the heist, while their alleged accomplice, Max Endjala, died on the scene after things went awry during the robbery. Angula and Shololo remain in police custody and are expected to appear in court during October.
It is now starting to look like Angula and his relatives carried out the robbery and handed diamonds worth N$259 million to Rhoman, who had his family sell them to the Port Nolloth base syndicate.
Authorities also arrested three other suspects in connection with the case. On 28 March police arrested Emmanuel Ipinge and Andreas Akwaake at Noordoewer, and they were found with N$725 000 in cash. They were returning to Namibia from South Africa. Police acted on a tip that the car they travelled with to Port Nolloth was spotted parked at a hotel known for diamond dealing.
Police also investigated that the two are related to Samuel Shipanga, who was the G4S security guard stationed near Namdia at the time of the 18 January heist. Shipanga was one of the first responders to the scene, and authorities believe he stole diamonds at the scene.
He allegedly then resigned from his job a week later. It was established by law enforcement that he gave the diamonds to Emmanmuel Ipinge to sell. Ipinge then gave him N$40 000 as a down payment of sorts. But Ipinge and Akwaake were arrested shortly thereafter. They are believed to have sold some of the diamonds on their trip to Port Nolloth.
