Diamond Man ‘Deported’

Denver Kisting

22 July 2011

The management of Lev Leviev Diamonds (LLD) Namibia allegedly sent a senior employee back to Israel because he wanted to blow the whistle on irregularities about an international deal.

Gabi Shitrit, the man accused of having fled the country after the Police confiscated 2 000 diamonds from LLD, this week denied that he was on the run.

In fact, he told The Namibian from Israel that LLD paid for his ticket back to his homeland and that it was on their instructions that he returned to Israel.

Shitrit accused LLD Namibia’s managing director Kombadayetu Kapwanga of “just lying” and of, “attempting to mislead the investigation so that all the blame in this matter would fall on me and that the company would be exonerated” .

An international storm broke out around the diamond polishing company this week when it emerged that the Namibian Police had seized about 2 000 polished diamonds in January this year.

The diamonds are said to have a total weight of 1 000 carats.

In a letter written to the Namibian authorities on June 24, Shitrit’s lawyer Moshe Mizrahi charged that Shitrit “was shocked and astounded by the untrue and unfounded accusations levelled against him”.

Shitrit further alleges in the letter that “the first mistake in this matter was the sending to Israel all the rough diamonds received by the factory (over 3371,40 carats in six boxes) duly signed for and which were never opened at the factory. These boxes were sent exactly as they were received from Namibia Diamond Trading Company (NDTC) to Israel with erroneous shipping documents mentioning only two boxes and only 1170,40 carats.”

According to Shitrit, the mistake was discovered when the six boxes of rough diamonds reached Israel.

He said after the mistake had been reported to him, he “demanded that the mistake be reported to the Namibian authorities and that the rough diamonds should be returned to Namibia immediately”.

Shitrit said this demand was ignored. “The senior company management eventually decided to send back to Namibia only the weight of the rough diamonds as stated on the shipping documents and not to return to Namibia the actual weight sent in error and to keep the balance in Israel.”

Mizrahi added: “In order to cover up the shortfall of diamonds in Namibia, the company ‘transferred’ to Namibia polished diamonds from another source and Mr Shitrit was instructed to include these diamonds in the inventory of the factory as if they were the original diamonds.”

Kapwanga yesterday denied that the company had paid for Shitrit to return to Israel. “We did not pay any ticket for him.”

The MD maintained his earlier claim that Shitrit had fled the country the same night after the Police confiscated the diamonds. “We were looking for him the next morning, but couldn’t find him. So I instructed the Police to look for him.”

All he was prepared to say about Shitrit’s other allegations was: “Ask the Police.”

Upon enquiry, Deputy Commissioner Silvanus Nghishidimbwa of the Khomas Regional Police said he “cannot reveal much” about the matter “at this stage of the operation”. He added: “We are still trying to find out more about the diamonds.”

Nghishidimbwa was not even prepared to say whether or not a suspect had been arrested.

Similarly, the Inspector General of the Namibian Police, Lieutenant General Sebastian Ndeitunga said: “We normally don’t publish these things about diamonds, because it is very sensitive. It might jeopardise some Police operations. When the whole process is finalised, that’s when we usually inform the media.”

Shitrit told The Namibian all he wants to do “is to clear my name, that’s all”.

In the letter to the Namibian authorities, his lawyer wrote: “In retrospect, Mr Shitrit understands that he erred in obeying his employer’s instructions.”

An allegation that he “tried to exploit the error for his own benefit and steal the diamonds is ridiculous”, the lawyer charged.

Provided the Namibian authorities will protect him and guarantee his immunity, Shitrit “will be prepared to, and is willing to give evidence and produce all documents and other materials in his possession as required”, it is stated.

Brent Eiseb, sales and marketing manager at NDTC yesterday said: “It is not our place to comment on rumours relating to matters that are within the remit of the regulator.”

AllAfrica – All the Time