Chiadzwa made a successful application to reclaim his diamonds that were confiscated in 2006. However, the government is dragging its feet a year after the order was made.
The stones were confiscated when Chiadzwa was charged with breaching the Precious Stones Act. The diamonds are in the possession of the Mineral Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (MMCZ).
Chiadzwa, late last year, mounted a legal bid to compel the MMCZ to sell the diamonds and pay him his dues. The application hit a brick wall when the courts determined there was no legal basis to force MMCZ to sell the exhibits. This came after the Marange businessman’s successful Supreme Court application. The High Court had earlier quashed his five-year prison term and $132,764 fine.
Chiadzwa who is a curator and owner of several galleries in and outside the country, revealed that he had so far spent close to $65,000 in his bid to recover his gems.
In an earlier interview, Chiadzwa lashed out at the then attorney-general, Johannes Tomana, who is now prosecutor-general, for his desperate attempts to bar him from reclaiming his diamonds.
“I was very pleased with the judgement of the Supreme Court because the attorney-general was delaying the case without any argument, so that I could not proceed.” He vowed to continue the fight to recover the monetary value of his gems.
Post published in: News