Employees at the factory are planning a demonstration to express their unhappiness with the company's handling of the issue.

Mineworkers Union of Namibia (MUN) branch executive members claimed that the company suspended Ukresia /Uiras, Emma /Uiras, Memory Ochs and Eliod Karikove with pay after alleging that a diamond had gone missing in their department.

According to the union, it was eventually discovered that no diamond had gone missing and that it was "just a double booking" of one stone.

Nevertheless, General Manager Eliphas Hawala suspended the four, saying the company wanted to investigate the movement of diamonds in their section as well as false entries of stones.

Hawala is reported to have suspended them to allow a smooth investigation.

MUN branch executives said the company first alleged that the four were involved in the theft of a diamond but when it was discovered that there had been a double entry, the charge was changed to the use of Hawala's password without his consent.

Hawala's password was only known to him and the IT systems manager.

The MUN leaders at the factory claim that workers are locked in until 22h00 whenever a stone goes missing.

"We are planning a peaceful demonstration for next week.

What is happening here is totally unacceptable," charged a union leader.

The Namibian has seen copies of the letters to the four employees.

A senior manager at the Okahandja factory said they regarded the issue as an internal matter and refused to comment on the union's allegations.

NamGem employs around 130 people at Okahandja.

It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Namdeb, which in turn is owned in equal shares by the Namibian Government and international diamond giant De Beers.

Local News Headlines Of The Last 48 Hours

•  Delays in tourist murder case test court's patience
•  Fire Minister: RDP youth
•  Cool, rainy weather in South
•  Community farm 'commandeered', residents face a barbed future
•  Court administration takes fast lane at Swakopmund
•  Devastating fire in Okahandja area
•  Huge donation for hospital
•  Veterans Board announced
•  Roessing man accused of assaulting child
•  Region's dream to come true
•  Merlus gets double certification
•  Train wheels grind to a halt as railway strike takes effect
•  Three go free in gang-rape trial
•  AirNam wraps up probe
•  Minister gags cell firms Mobile price wars 'embarrassing' Govt