Tweni man held in Zim for illegal diamonds
Five uncut diamonds were found beneath the driver's seat of the vehicle.
AN Umtentweni resident, Mark Posthumous (47), has been arrested in Zimbabwe for being illegally in possession of diamonds.
Mr Posthumous, together with another South African, Johannes Hendrick Nel (40), and two Zimbabweans, Tarisai Mangwende (25) and Robson Nemadziwa (28), recently appeared before Mutare Magistrate Sekai Chiwundura.
According to Bulawayo 24 News, the men are facing charges of possessing five rough diamonds in contravention of Section 3(1) of the Precious Stones Trade Act.
The Herald was tipped off by a reliable source that Mr Posthumous is a South Coaster, hailing from Umtentweni.
Posthumous and Nel were denied bail. Mangwende and Nemadziwa were granted $200 bail each, and were ordered to surrender their passports and report at the CID section every Friday.
According to an article published on News Day website, the state’s case, led by prosecutor Mathew Chimutunga, alleged that on January 3 while police were patrolling the Hot Springs area they were tipped off that the men were buying diamonds at the shops.
Acting on the information, the police officers set up a roadblock and stopped the vehicle.
The men were searched, but nothing was recovered.
However, a further search was conducted and five diamonds were found underneath the driver’s seat.
Two scales and a testing kit were found in Mr Nel’s satchel.
The four men also failed to produce a licence or permit which authorised them to possess or deal in diamonds.
The case has been postponed to January 13.
