Chiadzwa said that he was being persecuted for revealing that there were graves at Chiadzwa diamond fields to the Kimberly Process Team, which recently visited the country to access the situation at Marange diamond fields. It has been alleged that detectives from Minerals Unit headquarters received information on October 14, 2008 that Chiadzwa was exchanging diamonds with goods from his shop. The detectives raided his business premise and allegedly found 177 grams of diamonds in Chiadzwas possession. The detectives also found 8 433 grams in his vehicle.
In Chiadzwas defence, Chris Ndlovu made an application to the court to force the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Cooperation to release footage showing the then-deputy minister of mines, Tinos Rusere, explaining the governments policy on diamond mining.
Rusere told villagers that they were allowed to mine the diamonds if they sold them to the Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe.
Premised on right to fair trial, if this case proceeds without the footage, it is not a fair trial, said the defence.
The trial has been deferred to September 9.
24.8.2009
9:42
Diamond scapegoat in court
MUTARE Newman Chiadzwa was this week hauled before the Mutare magistrate on trumped up charges of possessing diamonds without a license. (Pictured: Villagers were allegedly given the go ahead to mine diamonds)