ZIMBABWE Consolidated Diamond Company (ZCDC) chief
executive Morris Bekezela Mpofu, who is facing criminal abuse of office
charges, was yesterday freed on $2 000 bail.
Mpofu is being accused of recommending a blacklisted
smuggling ex-convict to buy diamonds from the Minerals Marketing Corporation of
Zimbabwe (MMCZ).
Harare magistrate Mrs Barbara Mateko ordered the release of
Mpofu with the consent of the prosecution. Mrs Mateko ordered Mpofu to
surrender his passport and to report to the police twice a week.
She warned him against interfering with State witnesses and
investigations.
Allegations against Mpofu arose on March 19 this year,
after he recommended Robal Hussein to be allowed to buy diamonds from MMCZ.
Upon being recommended by Mpofu, Hussein on March 26 this
year, attended a diamonds tender at MMCZ where he bought three diamond parcels
weighing 358,58 carats for US$258 224.
He bought the diamonds on behalf of a company called
Diamond Cut. Investigations later revealed that Hussein had been
blacklisted under the Kimberly certification scheme after being convicted by an
Indian court for smuggling 3 605,73 carats of Zimbabwean rough diamonds in
2008.
The seized rough semi-polished and polished diamonds were
confiscated by the Government of India. Hussein and his accomplice Yousef
Osseily were found guilty and sentenced to four years each in jail.
The two have since served the sentence. Such a discovery
led to the arrest of Mpofu. Mpofu will be back in court on June 18, for routine
remand.
Mr Zivanai Macharaga represented the State while Mr Wilson
Tatenda Manase of Manase and Manase appeared for Mpofu. Herald
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