Namib Desert Diamonds security official Charles Rhoman is the latest person to have been arrested in connection with the daring heist at the state diamond marketing company.
Rhoman, who is believed to have been a key figure in the heist, was arrested in Keetmanshoop in the early morning hours of Thursday and appeared in the Keetmanshoop Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.
He is facing charges under the contravention of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act as well as defeating the ends of justice.
His arrest comes three days short of the 18 January 2025 anniversary of the daring heist which left two people dead and resulted in the disappearance of 47 481.10 carats of diamonds valued at approximately N$259 million.
CLOETE CONNECTION
The Issue last year reported that Rhoman was a key suspect in the case, after police arrested his relatives Bino Jaco Cloete, George Jones Cloete and his wife Charmaine Shireen Cloete at Keetmanshoop last May.
However, authorities did not arrest or charge Rhoman, despite investigations allegedly identifying him as a key figure in the diamond heist case. Law enforcement sources told The Issue that a warrant for Rhoman’s arrest was issued and signed in Keetmanshoop on 7 August 2025, three days before The Issue reported that Rhoman is a person of interest in the case.
The August warrant of arrest states that Rhoman was wanted to answer to charges related to crimes committed in contravention of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act, illicit trafficking of stolen goods, assisting another to benefit from proceeds of unlawful activities, disguising unlawful origins of property, assisting another to benefit from proceeds of unlawful activities and defeating the ends of justice.
SLIPPERY RHOMAN
People briefed about the case told The Issue that authorities struggled to apprehend Rhoman because he was evasive and hid behind illness to fend off being arrested.
The Issue understands Rhoman has been on sick leave since the 18 January heist last year and has not returned to work until Namdia announced his suspension without pay on Thursday.
Namdia spokesperson issued a media statement announcing that a staff member has been arrested in connection with the heist and that the said employee has been placed under immediate suspension, without pay, pending the outcome of both an internal disciplinary process and the criminal investigations by the authorities.
Last year, The Issue reported that Rhoman and his colleague Wenzel Dreyer were identified as suspects in the case while Dreyer was still reporting for duty. New information now reveals that Dreyer was cleared of any wrongdoing.
He was allegedly linked to the heist for allegedly unknowingly receiving a loan from one of the suspects in the case and that he had no idea that the money being deposited into his bank accounts was proceeds from the heist.
Dreyer refused to talk to The Issue, referring questions to the police. “The police is the right place for you to contact,” he said.
A breakthrough in the case of the missing diamonds stolen from the state company during the 18 January heist came shortly before the Cloetes of Keetmanshoop were arrested.
Authorities specifically linked Rhoman to a 4 April N$117 500 livestock transaction at Maltahohe. The Issue reported that investigations found that he 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.
CROSSBORDER COLLABORATION
The South African bank account where N$117 500 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.
Authorities also found that during the same period, Rhoman’s relatives, the Cloetes who were a modest family just getting by on Charmaine Cloete’s N$25 000 monthly salary, saw their lives and financial fortunes drastically changed shortly after the heist. Police investigations also found that George Cloete had regular phone contact with Daniel Caldeira Viljoen, also known as Nico Viljoen, a convicted diamond dealer. While police could allegedly also place George and Bino Cloete at Port Nolloth on 28 January last year.
It was reported that after their return from Port Nolloth, the unusual spending started. They were allegedly equipped with unknown red cryptocurrency-backed bank cards. The accounts backing these cards were out of reach for authorities in Namibia.
FIGHT BACK
This week, members of the Keetmanshoop community held a protest against the former head of the police Protected Resources Unit (PRU) Barry de Klerk, who seemingly played an integral role in ensuring the arrests in the case. The protestors called for De Klerk to be fired. The Issue understands that Rhoman organised the protest shortly before his arrest.
On 2 January, The Issue received a lengthy email from a Lamek Shinavene, titled ‘Serious Human Rights Violation’.
This email was addressed to Police Chief Joseph Shikongo and alleges that the police’s investigations and actions around the Namdia heist were riddled with irregularities.
The email also called for the accused people in the case Joel Angula, Bino and George Cloete to be released and for the state to apologise to them.
The email also called for a review into the handling and alleged alteration of witness statements in the case and the role of the prosecutors in permitting the alleged irregularities in the case by the police.
