Israeli pilot has case to answer

at the close of the State’s case.
He said Shmuel Kainan Klein has a case to answer hence he should be put to his defence.
Mr Reza was responding to the defence application for discharge.
Klein’s lawyer Mr Jonathan Samukange of Venturas and Samukange argued that he was entitled to an acquittal since the State had failed to prove a prima-facie case against him.
The State also denied that police had stolen any of the diamonds in question.
Klein (58) is facing charges of unlawful possession of diamonds and contravening Section 12 (1) of the Immigration Act Chapter 4:02, which criminalises entry by evasion.
In his written submissions Mr Reza said: “At the close of the State case, the State is confident that it has made out a prima-facie case against accused and that he should be placed on his defence.”
The State, said Mr Reza, was convinced the stones that were recovered from Klein were the ones that were handed to the Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe and produced in court as exhibits.
“None were stolen or exchanged in any way, besides the defence’s claims, there is no other independent source to confirm that accused was arrested with diamonds, whose caratage is 10 627,” he submitted.
However, Mr Samukange accused police of stealing the diamonds and replacing them with fake ones.
They argued that 2 140 carats were missing.
In the application Mr Samukange said all the witnesses gave contradicting testimonies and his client should be acquitted.
Charges against Klein arose on March 17 this year, at around 11am, when he tried to board a South African Airways flight number SA23 to South Africa.
It is alleged he was clad in a pilot’s uniform when he presented himself to the passenger screening point which was manned by a Civil Aviation Authority security officer Wendy Gomo.
As his two bags were being screened, it is alleged, the security officer noted that Klein was uneasy and shaky prompting her to make a physical check of the hand luggage.
She discovered the diamonds that were wrapped in a sealed plastic bag.The State says detectives from the border control unit were called in and counted the diamonds which totalled 1 379.
Further searches were made and another 67 pieces were found wrapped in a one United States dollar note stashed in the lining of the hand luggage.
Investigations revealed that Klein had arrived in the country the same day from South Africa aboard a South African flight as a passenger.
His passport was not stamped by immigration officers on arrival as he disguised himself as a crew member, it is alleged.
It was also established that Klein had travelled on the said flight as a passenger and not as a crew member.
The diamonds in question were taken to MMCZ for assay and weighed 1,7 kg with a caratage of 8486,66 valued at US$2,437 708.24.