The Windhoek High Court has dismissed a bail appeal by Joel Angula, one of the men accused of carrying out a fatal robbery at the head office of Namib Desert Diamonds (Namdia) in January last year. Judges Philanda Christiaan and Naomi Shivute delivered the judgement on Friday, concluding that Angula's appeal did not establish that the bail ruling was wrong.
Angula, a 47-year-old former Namdia protection officer, appealed against a ruling in which his application to be granted bail was turned down in the Windhoek Magistrate's Court in February. Christiaan, who wrote the appeal judgement, stated that she was not persuaded that the magistrate committed a material misdirection of fact or law.
The magistrate who turned down Angula's bail application found that the state proved it had evidence on which he could be convicted, and that it would not be in the interests of justice to grant bail to him. Angula and two co-accused, Sam Shololo and Samuel Shipanga, are facing 10 charges, including murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, and theft of diamonds.
The alleged robbery took place at the state-owned Namdia's head office in Windhoek on 18 January last year, resulting in the death of a security officer, Francis Eiseb, who was shot in the head. Another alleged robber, Max Endjala, also died of a gunshot injury at the scene of the robbery. The state alleges that 512 parcels of diamonds, weighing 51 725 carats and valued at N$335.6 million, were stolen during the heist.
The state also alleges that 452 parcels of diamonds, weighing 47 250 carats and valued at N$295 million, were not recovered after the robbery and remain missing. Additionally, 13 parcels of uncut diamonds, valued at about N$4.7 million, were found hidden at Angula's house in Windhoek a day after the heist. Angula denied knowledge of the diamonds allegedly found at his residence, claiming they had been planted by the police.
During his bail hearing, Angula told the court that Endjala, his cousin, and Shololo, described as his uncle, tied him up during the robbery. However, Christiaan noted that the bail hearing magistrate did not accept the state's evidence uncritically and did not misdirect herself when she found that the state had shown it had evidence implicating Angula.
The case will continue with Angula and his co-accused remaining in custody. Defence lawyer Veiko Alexander represented Angula in the bail hearing.
Key points
- The Windhoek High Court dismissed Joel Angula's bail appeal.
- Angula is accused of participating in a fatal robbery at Namdia's head office.
- The alleged robbery resulted in the death of a security officer and the theft of diamonds valued at over N$600 million.
