Israeli pilot claims Zimbabwe police stole diamonds

Gems stolen ... Shmuel Klein with Jonathan Samukange

AN ISRAELI pilot arrested for allegedly trying to smuggle diamonds worth US$2 million out of the country has claimed that some of the gems are missing and may have been stolen by the police.

Shmuel Klein, 58, was arrested at the Harare International Airport on March 17 and faces charges of unlawful possession of the gems as well as contravening the country’s immigration laws.

But his lawyer, Janathan Samukange told a Harare magistrate’s court Friday that some of the gems were missing and may have been stolen while in police custody.

“(Klein) will state that he has been shown a copy of the affidavit by Clever Sithole, which shows that the total carats were 8 486.66 and further state that about 2 140.34 carats are missing,” Samukange said.

Detective Shamiso Tashu of the Police Border Control and Minerals Unit conceded during cross examination that some of the evidence was missing.

Klein denies trying to smuggle the diamonds out of the country claiming he was an agent for a company called Masri diamonds.

 

“Klein advised them (police) that he would be flying that afternoon to Tel-Aviv, Israel, where he would be handing the diamonds to the owner,” Samkange said.

“He also said that he carrying the diamonds on behalf of Masri diamonds and was to hand them to Nisim Masri.

“He told them that he was acting as his agent for the purpose of possessing and carrying the diamonds to Tel-Aviv.”

 

An official with the Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (MMCZ) said the diamonds weighed 1,7kg with and were valued at about US$2,4 million.

But Samukange doubted his qualifications saying, “the court needs to rely on a qualified person not someone who has gone for a seven day crash course programme”.

He also said the value of the diamonds had been “extremely exaggerated” insisting they were worth no more than US$220 000.