‘Retentive robber’ has bail movement

A FORMER Namdeb contractor accused of having had probably one of the most precious bowel movements in Namibia’s history had his bail reduced to N$50 000 yesterday, enabling him to pay his defence counsel at his forthcoming trial.

Bernardo Ndiweda’s bail was reduced by Acting Judge Kato van Niekerk at the request of defence counsel Christie Mostert when the accused attended a pre-trial hearing in the High Court. Ndiweda was a contractor doing work for diamond giant Namdeb at Oranjemund when he was caught at an X-ray point on December 18 2000.He allegedly had more than N$2 million worth of diamonds hidden in his bowels, in an intimate cavity not normally accessible to the public but not hidden from the all-seeing eye of X-ray technology.Ndiweda was able to post bail of N$100 000 after his arrest on a charge that he had stolen rough or uncut diamonds from Namdeb, or illegally possessed the stones.It is alleged that Ndiweda was trying to pass through the Personnel Control Centre at Oranjemund when his personal belongings were examined and he was instructed to enter an X-ray booth.The X-ray examination indicated foreign objects in his “pelvic area”, the indictment against him states.According to the charge sheet, he was taken to a hospital where laxatives were prescribed. He was no longer anally retentive after that.The indictment relates that “the foreign objects expelled from his pelvic area” were found to be four parcels containing, in all, 110 rough diamonds.They were of high quality, weighing altogether 222,6 carats and valued at an impressive N$2,26 million – which in the eyes of anyone but a prospective diamond thief would probably be counted as a very rewarding visit to the toilet.Ndiweda is now scheduled to appear in the High Court again on March 16.Ndiweda was a contractor doing work for diamond giant Namdeb at Oranjemund when he was caught at an X-ray point on December 18 2000.He allegedly had more than N$2 million worth of diamonds hidden in his bowels, in an intimate cavity not normally accessible to the public but not hidden from the all-seeing eye of X-ray technology.Ndiweda was able to post bail of N$100 000 after his arrest on a charge that he had stolen rough or uncut diamonds from Namdeb, or illegally possessed the stones.It is alleged that Ndiweda was trying to pass through the Personnel Control Centre at Oranjemund when his personal belongings were examined and he was instructed to enter an X-ray booth.The X-ray examination indicated foreign objects in his “pelvic area”, the indictment against him states.According to the charge sheet, he was taken to a hospital where laxatives were prescribed. He was no longer anally retentive after that.The indictment relates that “the foreign objects expelled from his pelvic area” were found to be four parcels containing, in all, 110 rough diamonds.They were of high quality, weighing altogether 222,6 carats and valued at an impressive N$2,26 million – which in the eyes of anyone but a prospective diamond thief would probably be counted as a very rewarding visit to the toilet.Ndiweda is now scheduled to appear in the High Court again on March 16.