Namdia CEO Dismissed for Negligence, Insubordination
October 15, 25
(IDEX Online) - Namib Desert Diamonds (Namdia) has announced the dismissal with immediate effect of its CEO, Alisa Amupolo (pictured).
Namibia's state-owned diamond marketing company said she'd been found guilty by a disciplinary hearing of two charges of gross negligence and one charge of gross insubordination.
In a statement Namdia said the charges related to operational decisions that resulted in business losses, and were not related to the $17m heist at Namdia's HQ in Windhoek in January 2025.
Amupolo was, however, suspended in February, in the aftermath of the heist, along with chief operations officer Uahoroka Kauta, and security manager Paulinus Sheyapo pending what Namdia said was a "comprehensive and robust internal investigation".
"The disciplinary hearing, which commenced in November 2024, concerned operational decisions made by the CEO that led to losses for the business during the periods of April to August 2023, May 2024, and July 2024," Namdia said.
Employees accused Amupolo of incompetence, according to a Windhoek Observer report, and claimed her decisions had cost the company over N$ 230m (USD 13.4m) in lost revenue.
Board chairperson Justus Hausiku said the termination was "not related to the ongoing investigations into the diamond theft that occurred in January 2025 and her subsequent suspension in February 2025, but rather a pre-existing disciplinary hearing".
Namdia's statement made no mention of the two other suspended employees, but said Lelly Usiku, general manager for sales and marketing, would remain as interim CEO until a permanent appointment is made.
"Dr. Amupolo has the right to appeal the Board's decision in accordance with the company's disciplinary policy and procedures," it said.