Judgement due for Lerala diamonds seized in Belgium

Lerala closed doors in May 2017
Lerala closed doors in May 2017

High Court judge, Omphemetse Motumise is due to hand down judgement next month in a case in which the liquidator of Lerala Mine is suing the former owner over a 53,755 carat parcel of diamonds apparently spirited out of the country and sold just before the facility’s closure in 2017.

The liquidator, Kopanang Thekiso, acting on behalf of creditors who are reportedly owed about P30 million, filed the suit after suspecting the diamonds were taken away in order to keep them from the assets other creditors would be looking at in the liquidation.

According to documents filed in court, the sale of the 53,000 carats was initiated on May 28, 2017 through a company in which Kimberly’s majority shareholder holds a major stake.

Editor's Comment
Micro-procurement maze demands urgent reform

Whilst celebrating milestones in inclusivity, with notably P5 billion awarded to vulnerable groups, the report sounds a 'siren' on a dangerous and growing trend: the ballooning use of micro-procurement. That this method, designed for small-scale, efficient purchases, now accounts for a staggering 25% (P8 billion) of total procurement value is not a sign of agility, but a 'red flag'. The PPRA’s warning is unequivocal and must be...

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