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February 2026
Informanté
Joel Angulawas denied bail ondiamond theft and murder charges
Source
“Windhoek Magistrate Atutala Shikalepo has denied the granting of bail to Namib Desert Diamonds Pty Ltd (Namdia) diamond theft and murder accused Joel Angula, stating that the interests of justice dictate that the accused remain incarcerated pending the finalisation of investigations, which mainly relate to the recovery of diamonds worth N$295 million that remain missing from the diamond heist that happened on 18 January 2025 at the state-owned diamond company.”
Joel Angulawill hear the fate ofbail application on 23 February 2025
Source
“JOEL Angula, the 46-year-old ex-protection officer implicated in the Namib Desert Diamonds (Namdia) Pty Ltd diamond heist, will hear the fate of his bail application on 23 February 2025.”
Joel Angulafacesmultiple charges including one count of murder and two counts of attempted murder
Source
“Angula faces multiple charges, including one count of murder, two counts of attempted murder, and possession of uncut rough diamonds in relation to the Namdia heist, which resulted in the theft of diamonds valued at over N$330 million as well as the death of two persons.”
Joel Angulawas arrested on19 January 2025 after police search at his home
Source
“Angula was arrested on 19 January 2025 after a search at his home in Khomasdal, wherein police came across a Checkers plastic bag tied with a knot, which had safety boots with 13 parcels of diamonds in see-through zip-lock bags, valued at N$4.7 million.”
Joel Angulais charged withmurder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, possession of uncut diamonds, and attempted murder
Source
“Angula, who is a former police officer, and a second accused, Sam Shololo (50), are charged with counts of murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances and possession of uncut diamonds, and also two counts of attempted murder, in connection with a heist carried out at the Namdia head office on 18 January last year.”
Joel Angulawas allegedly spotted walking around by three witnesses and on CCTV recordings, fully armed with a pistolwhile Max Endjala and Sam Shololo were still in the premises
Source
“Angula was allegedly spotted walking around by three witnesses and on CCTV recordings, fully armed with a pistol while Max Endjala and Sam Shololo were still in the premises, even though the accused denies being part of the robbery.”
“Angula was allegedly spotted walking around by three witnesses and on CCTV recordings, fully armed with a pistol while Max Endjala and Sam Shololo were still in the premises, even though the accused denies being part of the robbery.”
Joel Angula, a former protection officer at state-owned NAMDIA, has appealed his bail denial in the High Court, arguing through his lawyer that the State has not established a chain of custody for diamonds found at his residence and that the magistrate ignored legal provisions for a fine. Angula faces eight counts, including murder, in connection with an armed robbery at NAMDIA where diamonds valued at N$335.6 million were allegedly stolen; 13 parcels valued at about N$4.8 million were found at his home, while over N$290 million of the stolen diamonds remain unrecovered.
Why it matters
Former NAMDIA officer appeals bail denial in N$335 million diamond heist, tracking high-stakes accountability in state resource theft.
Joel Angula, a former protection officer at state-owned NAMDIA, has appealed his bail denial in the High Court, arguing through his lawyer that the State has not established a chain of custody for diamonds found at his residence and that the magistrate ignored legal provisions for a fine. Angula faces eight counts, including murder, in connection with an armed robbery at NAMDIA where diamonds valued at N$335.6 million were allegedly stolen; 13 parcels valued at about N$4.8 million were found at his home, while over N$290 million of the stolen diamonds remain unrecovered.
The Windhoek Magistrate's Court has postponed to 18 June the case against Joel Angula and Sam Shololo, accused in a fatal January 2025 armed robbery at state-owned Namdia in which diamonds valued at N$335.6 million were stolen. The state was granted more time to complete parallel investigations across multiple jurisdictions and for the prosecutor general to decide on final charges.
The trial of two suspects in the Namdia diamond heist, in which N$345 million in diamonds were stolen and two people died, has stalled as police conduct joint investigations across multiple jurisdictions in Noordoewer, Keetmanshoop, and Windhoek. The Prosecutor General's final decision on whether to proceed to trial has been delayed pending completion of these investigations and recovery of related dockets.
Samuel Shipanga, a former G4S security guard implicated in the theft of diamonds worth N$315 million from state-owned Namdia, appeared in the Windhoek Magistrate's Court on charges of theft. His case has been joined with that of Joel Angula, a former Namdia protection officer, with proceedings postponed to 19 March 2026.
Magistrate Helvi Shikalepo refused bail for Joel Angula, a former Namdia security officer arrested in connection with a January 2024 armed robbery at the company's Windhoek headquarters in which diamonds valued at N$335.6 million were stolen and a security officer was killed. Shikalepo ruled that although the state has a prima facie case against Angula, his continued detention is in the interest of justice pending trial.
Former Namib Desert Diamonds security officer Joel Angula was denied bail in connection with a N$315-million diamond heist at Namdia's premises last year. Magistrate Atutala Shikalepo ruled that the interest of justice dictates his continued detention pending trial, finding a prima facie case against him despite his assertions that he poses no flight risk and the State's case is weak.
Magistrate Atutala Shikalepo has denied bail to Joel Angula, accused of theft and murder in connection with a January 2025 diamond heist at state-owned Namdia, citing the interests of justice and ongoing investigations into the recovery of N$295 million in missing diamonds.
Joel Angula, a 46-year-old ex-protection officer accused of involvement in the Namdia diamond theft and the deaths of two people, will learn the outcome of his bail application on 23 February. The State has opposed bail citing severity of charges and fears of abscondment and witness interference, while Angula's lawyer argues the evidence is circumstantial.
Joel Angula, a former Namdia security officer charged with murder and robbery in connection with a January 2024 heist at the Namdia head office in Windhoek in which a security officer was killed, will learn on 23 February whether he will be released on bail. The state opposes bail, arguing he may abscond or interfere with witnesses, while his defence counsel argues the state's case is weak.
Final submissions in the bail application of Joel Angula, accused of murder, robbery, and theft of diamonds at Namdia, will be heard on Friday after the State's case closed on the previous hearing. Angula denies all charges and claims he was tied up during the robbery incident, while a police witness testified that Angula was absent for three hours after the crime.
During a bail hearing, a Namibian Police chief inspector testified that Joel Angula would likely interfere with witnesses and investigations if released, citing his prior misleading statements and knowledge of witnesses. The inspector also stated that 452 of 512 diamonds robbed from Namdia remain missing and could be disposed of or used for further crimes if the accused is freed.
Defence lawyer Veiko Alexander cross-examined a State witness in the bail hearing for Joel Angula, a former police officer accused of murder and diamond theft in a January 2025 NAMDIA heist, questioning whether the "common purpose" charges are justified and arguing that attempted murder counts should be treated as assault charges instead.
A state witness in the bail application for Joel Angula, accused of the January 2025 NAMDIA robbery that netted over N$300 million in diamonds, revealed that Angula and Max Endjala held planning meetings at Wanderers Sports Field, where they discussed security vulnerabilities and execution details, including tying up guards and placing a getaway vehicle. Police found a written heist plan in Endjala's vehicle detailing activities that were later carried out at the crime scene, and DNA evidence linked Angula to a blanket left at the premises.
Police ballistics evidence presented in Windhoek court shows that a 9mm pistol registered to Max Endjala, one of the alleged robbers who later shot himself, was used to kill Namdia security officer Francis Eiseb during an armed robbery at the company's Windhoek premises in January 2024. Former police officer Joel Angula and Sam Shololo are charged with murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, and other counts related to the heist in which diamonds valued at about N$335.6 million were stolen.