In 2008, Doron Cohen arrived to Namibia with the intention of staying for three months. He was there to help a diamond company recover from the loss of five employees in a plane crash.
He is still alive and well, 14 years later. His fortune was made through a questionable state-driven deal for diamonds that has enriched him by over N$46million in five years.
Cohen brought in political connected businessmen John Walenga, Tironen Kuluma, as well as Martina Mokgatle (as the deputy chairperson of Swapo’s think tank).
Documents show Cohen was the financial backer for Monica Geingos’ family, which includes her son Nino Kalondo (27) and her brother Salomon Kalondo (47)
Evidence suggests Cohen transferred money at least to five Kalondo family members.
John Paul Karuaihe III is Nino’s friend and the son of Johannes (Fonnie), the prominent judge Johannes (Fonnie), Karuaihe. He co-owns a company that values diamonds with Cohen.
This company is trying to force the government to sign a N$135million Namdia diamond-valuation agreement, which is against the wishes and wishes of Tom Alweendo, minister of mines.
The Israeli also invited Solomon and Nino to join his restaurant and salon business.
Geingos confirmed that Cohen has two businesses with her son.
Cohen transferred N$500 000 to Kalondo family members in five years, including gifts and loans.
The majority of the money, approximately N$483 000 was split between Salomone and Nino through 49 payments.
Last month, Nino, Salomon and Cohen were not able to answer questions.
They did not respond to the Tuesday reminders.
Geingos said last month that Cohen’s business dealings were unfairly linked to Cohen’s family.
“’Funding my family’s lifestyle’ is an incredibly unfair characterisation,” she said.
“I abhor corruption and I have not benefited from the Namdia contract or any tender involving the government.”
“My son and brother are adults. As far as I am aware, the business relationship between my son and Doron was limited to the co-ownership of two small and medium enterprises, of which interest my son has been trying to dispose of for the last 12 months,” she said.
Geingos added: “Neither my son, nor brother have a business relationship with Cohen involving a government tender or contract.”
PROXIMITY TO THE POWER
Cohen’s flagship company, Nuska Technologies (previously known as C-Sixty Investments), made money from controversial establishment of Namibia Desert Diamond Company (Namdia), which was owned by the state.
Cohen has been able to gain favoritism within the top ranks of Namibia’s political elite through the diamond-evaluation scheme.
He rose to prominence in Namibia after his dealings in the Namdia project with Walenga & Kauluma.
Walenga has been involved in Swapo politics and also managed the business of the ruling party for close to a ten year.
Walenga is also close with Sacky Shanghala, former justice minister, as well as James Hatuikulipi who are the main accusers in the Fishrot corruption scam.
Kauluma, Cohen’s former partner, was politically influential as he is a nephew former minister Helmut Angula. The diamond deal has given Cohen, Walenga, and Kauluma more than N$100 million.
Cohen and Nuska Technologies were awarded N$46 Million.
After forcing the Namdia valuation agreement to be terminated, Cohen’s relationship was strained with Kauluma and Walenga.
He replaced them by Nino’s friend Karuaihe II and Martina Mokgatle.
Cohen also had connections with Kennedy Hamutenya (ex-chief executive officer Namdia)
After Hamutenya’s opposition to Namdia’s renewal of the diamond-valuation agreement, the two are currently not able to see eye-to-eye.
Cohen has built a diverse portfolio of businesses since arriving in Namibia 12 years ago.
He became a permanent resident on March 2018.
“Today I own various businesses in various sectors in Namibia, as I am a shareholder in I AM Hair Salon, MeatPoint restaurant, Que Tapas restaurant, Nuska, Buzzer Safety Application, Block Media, and Orderly Technologies, at which I employ over 90 Namibians,” Cohen told The Namibian last year.
His property portfolio would include houses at Auasblick or Klein Windhoek.
Cohen bought a BMW M5 for N$880 000 from the spoils in Namidia, and also a 10-year old black Porsche from Lazarus Jacobs for N$850 000 in 2020.
THE KALONDOS
Geingos claimed that Cohen met her brother Salomon in 2008 while they were working at Namgem. According to company records, Cohen joined Salomon’s restaurant business in January 2019.
Que Tapas Bar & Restaurant CC also had Italian national Ricardo Fossi, Christina Manguan and Cecilia Horsten as investors.
Horsten has since resigned from the company.
Salomon has a 20% share in Windhoek.
Salomon was previously employed by Namdeb. He is currently part of the Roots agricultural project at Stampriet. It is estimated that it is worth N$100 million. In 2019, President Hagegeob visited his brother in law’s agricultural project.
The Namibian has seen evidence that Cohen paid salaries and extended loans and paid flight ticket tickets for Nino & Salomon between 2016 – 2020.
Cohen transferred N$350800 to Salomon between 2016 and 2021.
The Israeli businessman paid N$83500 for Nino, including N$20000 for Nino’s quadbike in 2019, and his salary and flight tickets.
Nino owns other businesses.
GRANDFATHER’S VILLAGE
Cohen was born in Kefar Sava, a city in central Israel, on 16th February 1976.
At 32, he arrived in Namibia for a three-month contract through an Israeli diamond-cutting company he worked for – a subsidiary called Namgem, co-owned by diamond mogul Maurice Tempelsman.
Cohen operated lasers at Namgem to cut diamonds, which required the most delicate of hands.
He was at the time a Namgem marketing director living in Pionierspark, Windhoek.
Namgem was also owned by Salomon at the time.
Cohen created the Sarine Technologies Training Centre in 2011, where he teaches diamond cutting.
Cohen rose in the ranks of the local diamond trade by 2014.
He was appointed general manager of Morse Investments – a diamond company owned by insurance and property dealer Trustco.
He worked there until 2016.
FROM SANITATION TO DIAMONDS
Cohen was a major player in that year.
Namdia was founded by Obeth Kandjoze, an exmining minister, and Shanghala.
They led negotiations between De Beers and the Namibian government for a new 10-year agreement.
The Namibian delegation pushed to create Namdia so it could buy – on behalf of the government – 15% of Namdeb’s mine output every year – allegedly to ensure that De Beers was fetching the best price for Namibia’s quality gemstones.
But there was a catch. Politically connected individuals were eager to reap the benefits of this deal.
Walenga – who is close to Shanghala – and his partners bought a briefcase company called Amalooloo Sanitation Traders on 23 February 2016.
They renamed it C Sixty Investments – amid concerns that they were tipped off by top officials in the Ministry of Mines and Energy on an upcoming opportunity.
Walenga then presented a proposal to Namdia’s mines ministry to evaluate rough diamonds.
C Sixty Investments rely on Cohen’s expertise.
C Sixty was to pay a fee of 1% of the total value Namdia sold its rough diamond intake.
Namdia’s valuer was appointed by Kandjoze to be C Sixty Investments.
Leon Jooste, former minister of public enterprise, later questioned C Sixty Investments’ appointment, claiming that competitive procedures weren’t followed.
Jooste also asked why C Sixty Investments was chosen by Kandjoze over the Namdia board.
Geingob was presented with a report by the former minister. However it is believed that Geingob sat on the report for more three years.
COUP D’ETAT
C Sixty Investments enjoyed healthy cash flows for years thanks to the Namdia deal, which brought in N$3,000,000 per month without any sweat.
Trouble began to develop between Cohen, Walenga et Kauluma in 2020.
Cohen told The Namibian last January that workers’ grievances, and concerns about their pension, forced him to expel Kauluma & Walenga.
Cohen stated that Cohen’s salary was sometimes not paid.
“After a few months of non-payment, I understood that they were trying to pressurise me financially into just doing the job without questioning them, their business practices, or getting involved with their staff,” he said.
Cohen said that he did this because he tried to break ties with C Sixty Investments CC.
Soon after, Walenga was removed and Kauluma was also removed.
Cohen approached Alweendo and offered to take over the diamond-valuation contracts.
This offer was turned down.
Alweendo informed Cohen’s Nuska that the ministry would not renew this contract in 2020.
Cohen and his politically connected associates are determined to get an additional five years for the work Namdia Alweendo and Namdia believe is not necessary.
To get the deal back, the Israeli businessman uses technical loopholes.
Cohen claimed that the 2016 agreement gave their company five additional years if they weren’t informed in time.
Cohen’s demands were not met by Alweendo.
Nuska sued the government through an arbitration tribunal to get another five-year agreement.
The tribunal, which included lawyers Shimue Mbudje, Slysken Makando and Lucius Murorua sided with him and directed Alweendo and Cohen to give N$135 millions.
Alweendo, represented in court by Sisa Namanje, filed High Court documents to overturn an arbitration tribunal’s decision that ruled in favour Nuska Technologies.
“I contend that the valuation services were not required as the valuation of diamonds statutorily required under Section 45 of the Diamond Act was already being carried out by another party through Namibia Diamond Trading Company. This was an unfortunate state of affairs,” Alweendo said.
First lady EXPLAINS
Geingos stated last month that Cohen and her son had a limited business relationship. Cohen co-owned two small and medium businesses. Nino is trying to get out of these businesses.
She said that Cohen and Salomon are friends since 2008, when they were coworkers.
“Of my six family members, two are unemployed and often lament how their surname triggers negative questions in job interviews.
“My decision to get married to a politician has negatively impacted my family financially and psychologically,” Geingos said.
She also said that her family is always in conversation about what to do.
“This places me in a precarious position, and impacts family dynamics in a negative way. I object to the insulting assertion that my family’s life is supported by anybody. . . “ she said.
The first lady claimed that her relatives are in businesses not associated with Namdia.
“If it is true that some received small, immaterial loans from Mr Cohen, it remains within their respective relationships that have nothing to do with me or state procurement.”
Geingos explained that shortly after becoming first lady, a family gathering was called to establish the boundaries of acceptable economic interest.
She said that she cautioned against tenders or government contracts in that meeting.
She stated that many people were trying her to get closer to her family members at that point.
Geingos claimed that the meeting was held before Namdia was created.
She claimed she organized a meeting to discuss speculations that Salomon and her brother are using a proxy in Namdia.
“My brother was able to convince me that he had no role in the Namdia contract, and I believe him. He lacks access and the network to have been able to influence a contract of that magnitude,” Geingos said.
“Given that I had no role to play in the awarding of this contract, the only possible malfeasance that could have happened was name dropping by a third party who stood to gain from this contract.”
Geingos claimed that she has not been benefited by the Namdia contract, and that she did not take part in it.
She stated that she has always seen this contract as a negative.
“My integrity, track record in this regard spans a long period of time and has not changed,” she said.
Source: namibian
