Kimberley - The illicit diamond dealing trial against 13 prominent Kimberley business people in the Northern Cape High Court is expected to gain momentum next month when the police's main informant, responsible for the transactions that led to the bust, is expected to take the witness stand.
The trial against the 13 accused continued on Thursday. The 13 remain after all charges were last week withdrawn against a further seven accused, after apparently making “a deal” with the State.
The remaining accused face charges of contravening the Prevention of Organised Crime Act (racketeering with the alternative of being part of a pattern of criminal gang activity and the acquisition, possession and use of proceeds from unlawful activities) as well as contravening the Diamond Act (dealing, purchasing and receiving unpolished diamonds), after they were arrested by the Hawks in August 2014 following a covert police operation called “Project Darling”, which took place from February 2013 to February 2014.
During the operation, an undercover agent was assigned to identified individuals in Kimberley and Johannesburg. His assignment was to purport that he was unlawfully selling unpolished diamonds, which in fact belonged to the State. Numerous transactions led to the arrest of the accused.
While Lieutenant Colonel Juaan Myburgh, the State Diamond Controller, who issued the diamonds, as well as an administration clerk working under him, presented evidence, most of the accused indicated that they were “waiting for important witnesses” (specifically the main “police agent” Linton Jephta) to be called to the witness stand before “calling in the big guns”, referring to high-profile legal representatives.
Jephta is, however, only expected to make an appearance in the Northern Cape High Court next month, when the trial is expected to continue after Friday.
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