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Nyore Madzianike Senior Court Reporter
THE State yesterday withdrew charges against former Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Mining Company (ZCDC) boss Morris Bekezela Mpofu before plea after it failed to gather evidence that warrants his prosecution.
Mpofu was facing criminal abuse of office charges after he allegedly recommended an ex-convict diamond dealer Robal Hussein to trade in the precious minerals with the Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (MMCZ).
The State, led by Ms Venerandah Munyoro, said the police will summon Mpofu back to court in the event that they gathered evidence that warrants his prosecution.
“After careful consideration, we have to withdraw the matter against the accused before plea. The police will summon him to court in the event that they get tangible evidence,” she said.
Harare regional magistrate Hosea Mujaya withdrew the matter against the former ZCDC boss.
Circumstances that led to Mpofu’s arrest were that on March 19 last year, he reportedly recommended Robal Hussein to be allowed to buy diamonds from MMCZ. After the recommendation, Hussein attended a diamonds tender at MMCZ on March 26, 2019 and bought three diamond parcels weighing 358,58 carats for US$258 224.
He was said to have bought the diamonds on behalf of a company called Diamond Cut.
Investigations later revealed that Hussein had been blacklisted under the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme after being convicted by an Indian court of smuggling 3 605,73 carats of Zimbabwean rough diamonds in 2008.
The rough semi-polished and polished diamonds were confiscated by the Government of India. Hussein and his accomplice Yousef Osseily were found guilty and were each sentenced to four years in jail, which they served.
Mpofu was arrested after the information was unearthed.
Online Reporter