Police confirm receipt of Naomi-Mandela diamonds
South Africa police have confirmed that a trustee of the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund gave them uncut diamonds he says he received from model Naomi Campbell.
PRESS THE PLAY BUTTON ON THE VIDEO TO HEAR NAOMI'S TESTIMONY
"Yes, I'm confirming that. We sent them to the Diamond Board to have them authenticated and then we will make a decision after that," said Musa Zondi, spokesman for the specialist police unit, The Hawks.
The authentication would also determine the possibility of an arrest for possession of uncut diamonds, which is illegal in South Africa without a licence.
Jeremy Ractliffe said he handed them to the police on Thursday.
This was the day Campbell was testifying at The Hague war crimes tribunal on Sierra Leone that she thought it was former Liberian president Charles Taylor who had given her a bag of diamonds while on a visit to South Africa.
Ractliffe issued a statement on Friday morning saying that he took and kept three small uncut diamonds given to Campbell so that she would not get into trouble.
"Three small uncut diamonds were given to me by Naomi Campbell on the Blue Train on 26th September 1997," Ractliffe said in a statement.
Ractliffe said he took them because he thought it might be illegal for her to take uncut diamonds out of the country.
Campbell had suggested that they could be of some benefit to the fund but Ractliffe said he told her that he would not involve the fund in anything that could be illegal.
"In the end I decided I should just keep them," said Ractliffe.
He did not report it to anyone to protect the fund's reputation, as well as that of former president Mandela and Campbell.
Ractliffe said he had handed the diamonds to the South African authorities.
He did not want to say anything else as he considered the matter sub judice and said he was prepared to testify at The Hague if asked.
Fund spokesman Oupa Ngwenya said this was the first they had heard about the diamonds.
"We are not in receipt of the diamonds and there is no record of diamonds in our possession at the Nelson Mandela (children's fund)," said Ngwenya.
Blood diamonds get their name from their links to diamond mining practices that are inhumane and are undertaken to buy weapons for rebel groups or corrupt governments.
Campbell has testified that she thought the "dirty looking stones" came from Taylor when they were given to her one night by two men.
The SA Diamond Board regulates the possession, purchase, sale, processing and export of diamonds. It also ensures compliance with the Kimberley Process Certification scheme, introduced to eradicate the trade in blood diamonds.
Maestro
And how much of this blood diamonds has ended up in the hands of those that we've entrusted our lives in? Just checking on how easy is our souls being sold! This just happened under our nose. Somewhere in a country were the rule of law was prevalent someone would have been arrested for diamond smuggling.I have posted this comments earlier on hearing the news, now I would kindly appreciate if all those who benefited from this “blood diamonds” thing can now come forward and clear their names before we heard it in court.
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Mwelase
You see, the truth is now here however yesterday the former CEO of the Foundation stated globally that he does not know anything. Guys we have gone to schooling and we are proffessionals by nature and skills. Why were you quiet so long about this three dirty stones?, Now i suggest that General Cele must take his part. Former President you name is now dented!!Report Abuse
Debz
"Oh what a tangled web we weave,When first we practise to deceive!"
Sir Walter Scott
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Menina11
Personally, I don't like the title Naomi-Mandela diamonds, couldn't they have tried at least to leave Mr Mandela's name out of this perhaps?Report Abuse
DRU
Jeremy kept this dirty stones to himself since 1997 & He knows is illegal in this country.Shocking news indeed.I wonder what he was thinking .Report Abuse
notyetuhuru
Do somebody perhaps know, how much of these blood diamonds have bolstered election campaings of a certain party in the same way as the oilgate donations.Report Abuse
Eric
So, why don't the Hawks arrest Ratcliffe? Is he part of the ANC's "protected game"? Winnie has been dealing in illicit Angolan diamonds for many years, yet she has never been charged!One law for the ANC's fat black cats ... and another for the rest of the country?
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JML4U
does anyone here knows when Sowetan is going to have some update here online? For the last 72 hours they posted nothing. I am guessing they are toy-toying, there is no news in RSA or in the world or all they are in holiday. What is the hell going with you Soweto guys? Since I sensed this i thought to send you e-mail and ask you why you want join the uselessness and hopelessness of SABC instead of learning even from news24. are you guys there? When the W afrika guy was in the jail i saw you keep posting some nonsense every five minutes but since he is out you just went totally silent.Report Abuse