New bill targets diamond smugglers

Bill, gazetted last Thursday, proposes a mandatory prison term for the offence of unlawful dealing in or being found in possession of precious stones. This change is seen harmonizing legislation in the mining sector following law reforms imposing a prison term on illegal dealers under the Gold Trade Act as amended in 2006.
The Bill also increases penalties for other offences; restates the offence of transmitting precious stones by post, and re-introduces certain offences removed from the Act in 2001 such as malicious planting of precious stones on another person, making false statement for purpose of procuring a license and cutting or polishing precious stones without a dealers’ license.
Zimbabweans have been fingered in illegal cross border trade in precious stones, especially diamonds, with a Kimberley Process Certification Team ending a fact-finding mission in Zimbabwe last week.
Senior government officials and defense force generals have been implicated in the illegal trade.