Staff Reporter
CHARLES Rhoman, the former protection officer at Namib Desert Diamonds (NAMDIA), made his second court appearance at the Bethanie Magistrates’ Court on 26 January, and the case was postponed to 3 March 2026 for a formal bail application.
Rhoman is the brother of George Cloete, another suspect in the NAMDIA diamond heist. Cloete, along with his wife Charmaine and his brother Bino Cloete, was arrested in connection with the robbery, which led to the death of NAMDIA Security Executive Francis Eiseb and one of the suspects, Max Endjala. A total of N$ 315 million worth of diamonds were stolen in January 2025, with N$ 295 million still unrecovered.
During Rhoman’s appearance, his lawyer, Theo Carolus, requested that he be held in Bethanie, citing the better hygienic conditions of the local police cells, which would be more suitable for his medical condition (a spinal injury). However, state prosecutor Iyaloo Haipinge stated that, after being informed by investigating officers about security concerns, Rhoman would instead be held at the Mariental correctional facility.
Rhoman is charged with three counts: defeating or obstructing the course of justice; contravening sections of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act (POCA) for disguising the unlawful origin of property; and, alternatively, possession or use of proceeds of unlawful activity.
The state alleges that, in June 2025, Rhoman unlawfully and with the intent to defeat or obstruct the course of justice, took 84 goats from Nharis near Bethanie, which were proceeds of unlawful activities.
It is further alleged that the purchase of the goats, worth N$ 117,500, tipped off authorities, as well as Rhoman’s insistence that all documentation for the livestock purchase be registered under his siblings’ names, including George Cloete.
“Thus, the accused is guilty of contravening section 4 read with sections 1, 7, 8, and 11 of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act 29 of 2004—Disguising unlawful origin of property,” the charge annexure reads.
The state further contends that the accused removed the livestock to avoid prosecution and/or to remove or diminish property acquired directly or indirectly as a result of money laundering.
While Rhoman is being transferred to Mariental to await the start of his bail proceedings, his co-accused and former colleague, Joel Angula, who is currently in the midst of his own bail application, had his matter postponed to 30 January 2026 for final submissions from his lawyers.
Authorities have also indicated that police are in the process of obtaining an arrest warrant for one more individual in the NAMDIA diamond heist case, which would bring the total number of arrests to eight. It is reported that the current person of interest is not directly linked to the robbery or the sale of the stolen diamonds but is suspected of having benefited from the proceeds of the stolen diamonds.
