EDITORIAL: Namdia heist warrants commission of inquiry
The diamond heist that rocked Namdia on 18 January is not just a headline – it’s a national scandal. With over N$300 million worth of gems vanishing under suspiciously amateurish circumstances, it’s not just the diamonds that have gone missing, but also our trust.
Let’s be clear: this wasn’t a Hollywood-style operation carried out by tech-savvy masterminds or smooth-talking con artists. Judging by the suspects arrested so far, some of whom wore slippers and torn trousers during their court appearances, this heist looks less like Ocean’s Eleven and more like Keystone Cops.
That’s precisely what makes it terrifying. How could a national diamond company, the custodian of one of our most prized resources, be so lax that a group with seemingly no high-level criminal finesse could waltz away with hundreds of millions in loot?
And we’re still missing N$274 million. In a country where children learn under trees and thousands of families relieve themselves in the bush for lack of toilets, this is not just theft – it’s a slap in the face.
The public deserves answers. And that’s why the new administration must act decisively and establish a commission of inquiry. Not a press release. Not a half-hearted internal memo. A proper, independent investigation to uncover exactly what went wrong, who was complicit, and how we stop this from ever happening again.
This isn’t just about holding a few people accountable. It’s about rewriting the rulebook on how we protect Namibia’s wealth. If diamonds can disappear this easily, what else is slipping through the cracks?
A commission’s findings could influence public opinion, policy and set new security benchmarks for all state-owned enterprises. It’s not just the diamonds we must recover – it’s public confidence and perhaps even our nation’s dignity.
Let’s be clear: this wasn’t a Hollywood-style operation carried out by tech-savvy masterminds or smooth-talking con artists. Judging by the suspects arrested so far, some of whom wore slippers and torn trousers during their court appearances, this heist looks less like Ocean’s Eleven and more like Keystone Cops.
That’s precisely what makes it terrifying. How could a national diamond company, the custodian of one of our most prized resources, be so lax that a group with seemingly no high-level criminal finesse could waltz away with hundreds of millions in loot?
And we’re still missing N$274 million. In a country where children learn under trees and thousands of families relieve themselves in the bush for lack of toilets, this is not just theft – it’s a slap in the face.
The public deserves answers. And that’s why the new administration must act decisively and establish a commission of inquiry. Not a press release. Not a half-hearted internal memo. A proper, independent investigation to uncover exactly what went wrong, who was complicit, and how we stop this from ever happening again.
This isn’t just about holding a few people accountable. It’s about rewriting the rulebook on how we protect Namibia’s wealth. If diamonds can disappear this easily, what else is slipping through the cracks?
A commission’s findings could influence public opinion, policy and set new security benchmarks for all state-owned enterprises. It’s not just the diamonds we must recover – it’s public confidence and perhaps even our nation’s dignity.
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