The Keetmanshoop Magistrate's Court has postponed the bail application hearing of Chairmaine Cloete, one of the three suspects facing charges of contravening the Prevention of Organised Crime and illicit trafficking of goods under the Diamond Act, next week Tuesday. 

The diamonds are linked to those stolen during NAMDIA's robbery, worth millions of dollars. 

Magistrate Mulondwa Masiku postponed the bail application hearing after the State Prosecutor Iyaloo Haipinge indicated that the state was not ready to proceed with the matter. 

Requesting for postponement until 17 July, Haipinge explained  the matter was only brought to her attention on Wednesday morning, leaving her with no opportunity  to consult with the  investigation officer based in Windhoek. 

She further told the court that the case docket was still in Windhoek.  

The state reiterated its opposition to granting of bail. 

Defense Counsel Florian Beukes objected to the proposed postponement, arguing that communication around the hearing had been initiated three weeks back with  Magistrate Erich Dandu, Control Prosecutor Abel Munyando, and the clerk of the court. 

This resulted in the hearing being re-set .

He contended bail application hearings are normally treated as urgent, adding the postponement would result in his client  incurring additional legal costs. 

Beukes argued such a postponement would prejudice his client.  

In his bail application arguments, Beukes stated that his client was a mother of two minor children, and also responsible for a third minor, her niece. 

The children, said Beukes, are currently in the care of his client's  sister-in-law, who indicated she can no longer continue looking after them. 

According to Beukes, the employment of his client is also at stake as the special leave she was granted ends on Wednesday. 

Magistrate Masiku acknowledged the defense counsel's objection as valid, saying while bail hearings are to be prioritised, the matter was communicated to the state well in time.

Still, he granted a final postponement  until 17 June, to allow  both  state and defense counsel to adequately prepare.

Describing  the case as high-profile, Magistrate Masiku instructed the state to secure the case docket within four days.

He warned that, should the state  fail to resume with the bail hearing by next Tuesday, the court would consider granting Cloete bail.