G4S calls Namdia’s N$314m robbery lawsuit ‘vague’

The security company G4S Secure Solutions is claiming a lawsuit in which the state-owned Namib Desert Diamonds (Namdia) is suing it for N$314 million is “vague and embarrassing”.

Lawyer Charles Visser, who is representing G4S Secure Solutions, describes Namdia’s claim against G4S as “vague and embarrassing” in an exception filed at the Windhoek High Court on Friday.

Namdia is alleging that it suffered damage in an amount of N$314 million, for which it claims G4S is liable, as a result of an armed robbery at Namdia’s head office in Windhoek on 18 January this year.

In a claim filed against Namdia at the High Court in August, the diamond company alleges that G4S, which was contracted to provide remote monitoring and armed response security services to Namdia, was “grossly negligent” and failed to react and prevent the theft of diamonds from Namdia during the robbery on 18 January.

Namdia alleges in its claim that 446 parcels of diamonds, valued at N$314 million, were stolen from it during the robbery.

In the exception filed by Visser, it is stated that Namdia has failed to indicate the exact quantity, weight and quality of the diamonds that were allegedly stolen, and has failed to indicate how it calculated the value of the gemstones.

It is also alleged in the exception that necessary particulars of the claim against G4S have not been set out to enable G4S to identify the case it is required to meet.

“As a result, the defendant [G4S] is not enabled to know what case it has to meet and is prejudiced by being unable properly to assess [Namdia’s] quantum and the claim advanced,” according to Visser.

He also says Namdia does not disclose in its claim that it was the owner of the diamonds allegedly stolen in the robbery or that it had a legal right to possess and control the diamonds, whether cut or uncut.

Visser is asking the court to uphold G4S’s exception and dismiss the claim against the company with costs, or to strike out Namdia’s claim and allow it to amend the claim.

CHARGES DENIED

The two men charged in connection with the robbery denied guilt on all of the charges they are facing when they made an appearance in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court on Friday.

Joel Angula (46), who is a former employee of Namdia, and Sam Shololo (50) pleaded not guilty to counts of murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances and illegal possession of uncut diamonds, and two charges of attempted murder.

Namdia security officer Francis Eiseb (58) was killed when he was shot during the robbery.

One of the alleged robbers, Max Endjala (43), also died from a gunshot injury during the robbery.

It is alleged that diamonds valued at N$314.9 million – a record amount stolen in a robbery in Namibia – were stolen during the heist.

After recording the pleas of the two accused, magistrate Olga Muharukua postponed their case to 19 March 2026, for a decision to be made by the prosecutor general on the prosecution of Angula and Shololo.

Muharukua also said an application by Angula to be granted bail is scheduled to be heard from 18 November.

Angula and Shololo, who were both arrested in January, are to remain in custody in the meantime.

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