Tinomutenda Midzi in Mutare
19 March 2017, MUTARE – Tawanda Masomera of Murahwa Street in Sakubva was last week slapped with a five year jail term for unlawfully possessing a peace of diamond worth US$47. 53.
Magistrate Tendai Mahwe found Masomera guilty of contravening section 3 (1) of the Precious Stones Trade Act Chapter 21:06 which forbids the dealing in or possession of precious minerals without a licence.
It was the State’s case that on June 1, 2016 around 13:00 hrs, detectives from the Minerals and Border Control Unit received information to the effect that there was a person with one piece of diamond at Stalling Street, Greenside, Mutare.
Acting upon the information, detectives went there, positively identified the accused person and recovered one piece of diamond from his wallet.
The accused person was arrested and brought to the station with the exhibit of the recovered diamond.
The diamond was assayed and weighed 2. 19 carats and valued at US$47. 53.
Matthew Chimutunga appeared for the state.