4 De Beers Marine employees in court for diamond theft

FOUR De Beers Marine Namibia employees appeared in the Oranjemund Magistrate’s Court on Monday on charges of stealing 631 unpolished diamonds valued at over N$1,1 million.

Thomas Nicodemus, Meroro Marenga, Fillemon Ashikoto and Nicolaas Bezuidenhout were arrested on Thursday after 466,55 carats of diamonds were found concealed in a helicopter conducting a crew change from the company’s mining vessels off the Oranjemund coast. The accused were among 10 employees aboard the helicopter when it was searched by Namdeb security and the Police’s Protected Resource Unit at Oranjemund.Nicodemus, the main suspect, was released on bail of N$10 000, while the other three posted bail of N$5 000 each.The diamonds were reportedly hidden under a seat in the helicopter.The case has been postponed to February 26 for further investigation.The accused were among 10 employees aboard the helicopter when it was searched by Namdeb security and the Police’s Protected Resource Unit at Oranjemund. Nicodemus, the main suspect, was released on bail of N$10 000, while the other three posted bail of N$5 000 each. The diamonds were reportedly hidden under a seat in the helicopter. The case has been postponed to February 26 for further investigation.

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