: As net closes in on ZRP and Mines Ministry officials over missing diamonds

By Talent Gondo  Grandwell Holdings Private Limited boss, David Kassell has made a plea to government to consider compensating his company over losses incurred through looted diamonds during the February 2016 mafia style takeover of Mbada Diamonds.

Kassell said this during a Mines and Energy parliamentary portfolio committee hearing (Monday).

“I would appreciate if a discussion could take place whereby Marange and ZMDC would acknowledge that there was a wrong done… and there either has to be compensation or we map the road going forward,” he said.

Kassel revealed that while his company had invested millions in the diamond industry, it was very disappointing that he like many other investors, had lost their assets due to lawlessness and failure by government to uphold security of tenure as guaranteed in contractual agreements.

“They practically destroyed security, broke out safes, vaults and tore the place down cowboy style,” he said.

“How could I possibly bring investors along within this cloud of uncertainty. I am bitterly disappointed in the system.”

Kassel revealed that when he invested in Zimbabwe, the former president, Robert Mugabe had given him his word that his investment was safe.

“I am a businessman and not a politician and when I met Mugabe, he assured me that my investment was safe because he realised that I am a serious business person. The governance of our company is unquestionable,” he added.

Kassels said his company had invested over USD50 million in the diamond industry through availing machinery and technology, supporting government in pending litigation cases and advocacy for Zimbabwe to be Kimberly Process certified all of which had ended up as futile efforts when their mine was invaded in February 2016.

Jabulani Mukoko, Mbada Diamonds Chief of Security, narrated how over 300 armed Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officers in the company of ministry of mines officials practically destroyed existing security infrastructure at their mine in a move which saw over 2 000 carats of diamonds disappear from one of the vaults.

“They did not present any court order neither did they entertain questions with one Mudede telling me that I was supposed to just follow instructions and was not allowed to question why since it was a directive from the mines ministry,” said Mukoko.

He detailed how the ZRP had practically disabled all CCTV at the premises on the pretext that the organisation had deployed its members to provide security.

“When I tried making a police report regarding the missing trunk in the vault, I was told that the ZRP had an instruction not to document any report related to Mbada diamonds or anything to do with the consolidation process,” he said, adding that the reports were only documented after three days following the intervention of the company’s Harare office.

Mukoko said the ZRP and mines ministry officials flouted all security measures including bringing their personal cars into the diamond fields and plant.

“The ZRP worked in car hoots with illegal miners because barely 6 metres away from where they were stationed, over 300 illegal panners including children as young as 6 years old, the elderly and youths were conducting their business unperturbed,” he said.

Former Mugabe confidant, retired Air Marshal Robert Mhlanga, who is the Mbada Diamonds Board Chairman described the whole take over as ‘criminal’ adding that it was so unfair that such a huge investment would go down to waste simply because individuals were above the law and a law unto themselves.

“Diamonds disappeared and this was all done without following due process. It is criminal!” said Mhlanga, expressing disappointment on how government consolidated diamond mining in the country.