Fake diamond scams rock Namibia

The recent incident where an Indian businessman was duped into buying fake diamonds was not a unique case, as many other people are lured to the country under the impression that they are buying real diamonds. Diwakar Dhyani was conned out of close to a million Namibian dollars when he bought what he thought was uncut diamonds after an internet search for African rough-diamond suppliers. Police spokesman Edwin Kanguatjivi said this type of scam is common and that people get drawn in on a website by scammers who pretend to sell real diamonds. However, Deputy Commissioner Kanguatjivi said he had his doubts about Dhyani’s version of events and that it was very likely that Dhyani knew that he was involved in an illegal diamond deal. “I am not putting him on trial, Kanguatjivi said. He pointed out that Dhyani also might have had a lack of experience in diamond buying. The fact is that there were plenty of red flags that should have warned him that it was a dodgy transaction, Kanguatjivi said. Dhyani said he lost the equivalent of N$850 000 in US dollars after coming to Windhoek to do business with a man who identified himself as Sanko Kono’ from the Diamond Trading Company’, purportedly located at 38 Calcium Street, Prosperita, Windhoek. Dhyani, who said he was a partner in a diamond cutting and polishing company in India, bought 300 carats worth of diamonds to the value of about US$70 000. Dhyani said Kono’ had told him he had many diamond companies. Kanguatjivi stressed that diamonds may not be taken from one country to another without the proper papers and must be declared at customs. “If this man was working for a company that deals in diamonds he should have been aware of this. I have doubts if his intentions were genuine. Kanguatjivi also said the fact Dhyani met the men at the Windhoek Country Club and then at a house instead of an office should have been warning signs. “What proper diamond company would not have offices? And after all this you still go ahead and put your money on the table without the papers to prove that what you get is real diamonds and that you can leave the country with them? Kanguatjivi added that if the diamonds had been real, Dhyani could have been arrested in Namibia because he did not have the correct documentation. “The entire deal is dodgy. It looks like a knock. It is not the first time that this has happened. Kanguatjivi added that Dhyani could have asked the Indian embassy in Namibia to do a background check on the alleged diamond company to check its authenticity before coming to Namibia. “That would have spared him a lot of trouble. He said Dhyani can open a case with the Namibian Police, but its success would depend on what evidence is available. “The names of the culprits are definitely fake, said Kanguatjivi. WINDHOEK ELLANIE SMIT