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(ZIMBABWE GUARDIAN) ACR boss fears arrest over Chiadzwa diamonds

ACR boss fears arrest over Chiadzwa diamonds
By: TH-tzg
Posted: Wednesday, March 24, 2010 2:56 am

THE chief executive of Zimbabwe's African Consolidated Resources, a company that is claiming to have the right to mine diamonds at Chiadzwa, has filed an urgent chamber application at the High Court seeking to bar police from "arresting and detaining" him on charges he says the State had already dropped.

Mr Andrew Cranswick is currently out of the country on business and is afraid he will be arrested on his return.

The application was filed on Monday and is related to charges stemming from Cranswick’s alleged illegal acquisition of diamonds, including 129 000 carats recovered from the company in 2007.

Cranswick was once arrested over this issue but the Attorney-General declined prosecution pending determination of a wrangle over ownership of the gems.

The 129 000 carats of diamonds are currently kept by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe as per a Supreme Court order.

Mr Cranswick's legal team accuse Mines and Mining Development Minister Obert Mpofu of personalising the dispute between Government and ACR.

Police were still to respond to the application.

Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku on January 25 ruled that the 129 400 carats of diamonds initially seized from ACR in January 2007 by Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe must be kept at the Reserve Bank until the finalisation of the appeal on the issue.

ACR is fighting in the courts over the seizure of its diamond claims and gemstones.

The company wants to go into a 50/50 mining deal with Government as last resort.

Labels: AFRICAN CONSOLIDATED RESOURCES PLC, ANDREW CRANSWICK, CORRUPTION, DIAMONDS, OBERT MPOFU

posted by MrK @ 4:58 PM