By KEMO CHAM in Freetown
One of the world’s largest diamond discovered in Sierra Leone has been put up for sale, the government announced.
The 709 carat uncut diamond found by an evangelic pastor earlier
this month, is being sold by international tender, a public notice on
Saturday indicates.
The Ministry of Mines and Mineral Resources pegged the fee for bidding documents at $5,000.
Bidders will also have to place a security of $50,000.
The precious stone dubbed 'divine diamond' due to its owner's
religious commitment, was discovered in the eastern Kono District, home
of the two largest diamonds discovered in the country.
Persistent rumour
It is currently locked in a safe within the Central Bank of
Sierra Leone. It will be on public display at the bank from Wednesday
through to April 5.
The announcement of its sale comes at the backdrop of persistent rumour over it's rightful ownership.
While some alleged that Pastor Emmanuel Momoh was not the
rightful owner, others accused him of operating his artisanal mining
company under an expired licence.
The Lebanese
Earlier in the week, the daily Global Times newspaper
cited an unnamed source in the Mines ministry claiming the diamond
belonged to the state because the pastor had been operating illegally
when he found the stone.
The same paper reported a rivalry between a Kono-based Lebanese tycoon and an Israeli dealer over the rights to buy the stone.
The Israeli allegedly offered the influential local chief who
handed over the diamond to President Ernest Bai Koroma $2 million in
reward if he could convince the latter to sell the gem to him.
Impoverished region
But Pastor Momoh is believed to favour the Lebanese
The stone has become the subject of discussion at almost every
public space in Sierra Leone, a country known to many for a brutal
11-year civil war which ended in 2002.
The war was fuelled by the diamonds of Kono, a largely impoverished region.
Pastor Momoh has promised to use part of his money to plough
back into the development of the district, including the establishment
of a fitting church.
An argument ensued
One person was hospitalised last week after an argument ensued
over the ownership of the stone. The victim is said to have angered his
colleague with comments alleging that the president intended to cheat
the owner of the diamond.
State House and the Mines Ministry have, however, reiterated
their commitment to ensure a transparent process in the sale of the
diamond.
The government has flown in an independent diamond valuator to
evaluate it ahead of the much-anticipated sale expected to happen in two
weeks time.
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