Dutch farmers in last-ditch diamonds appeal

21 Dec, 2014 - 00:12 0 Views

The Sunday Mail

A group of Dutch farmers has filed an appeal against a second court decision facilitating the return of diamonds worth US$45 million seized from Zimbabwean companies in Belgium in September 2014.

Diamond mining companies that include Mbada Diamonds and Marange Resources have been facing serious financial problems since the seizure of the diamonds.

The companies have over the past months been failing to pay their workers salaries in time and have faced serious problems after failing to pay their suppliers.

The diamonds were seized at the Antwerp World Diamond Council where they were due to be auctioned.

The Funnekotter group of farmers want the diamonds as compensation from Government for acquisition of farms they held in Zimbabwe. However, the diamonds do not belong to Government.

Their appeal comes after the Belgian Court of First Instance on Thursday upheld its original decision that the gems to be returned to Zimbabwe.

The hearing will be heard in Belgium on January 8, 2015.

Marange Resources chief executive Mr Mark Mabhudhu, whose company was among those that had its diamonds seized, told The Sunday Mail that last week’s ruling was a victory for Zimbabwe.

He said the latest appeal by the Funnekotter was unlikely to be significant and preparations were underway to transport the diamonds in mid-January.

“We have won the second leg and I do not think that the latest appeal is significant. Precedence has already been set. The judge indicated that the ruling was the same and so we are entitled to our goods. We are actually preparing to ship the diamonds to Zimbabwe around mid-January,” he said.

Earlier, Mines and Mining Development Minister Walter Chidhakwa said it was “definite” the diamonds would be returned.

“The court of First Instance upheld a judgement that the diamonds belong to mining companies and not the ZMDC (the State mining development corporation) and the Government of Zimbabwe.

“The court ruling that was made early this month has already set precedence so it is definite that we will get our diamonds. We are winning the 500 000 carats back,” said Minister Chidhakwa.

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