A diamond the size of an adult’s fingernail is at the centre of a court battle between two businessmen.
|||A diamond the size of an adult’s fingernail is at the centre of a High Court battle between two businessmen who both claim ownership of the precious stone.
In court papers filed before the Western Cape High Court, Australian gemstone dealer James Corbett claims he came to SA to buy a 4.6 carat pear-shaped pink diamond for investment purposes.
Corbett is suing the Minister of Police to return his diamond.
He said he had made the purchase in August and had been introduced, by phone, to a local “dealer” called Francois van der Merwe, who claimed to have a potential buyer who would pay R1.8 million.
Van der Merwe asked Corbett to leave the diamond with the man who had introduced them for a week to make the sale from which he was to earn 10 percent commission.
Corbett said he had been given excuses as to why his original purchase had been delayed and in November he threatened to go to the police.
He said he suspected the go-between and Van der Merwe had colluded to defraud him.
In December, Corbett met Van der Merwe for the first time and, when he realised the two were just buying time, he contacted a private investigator who advised him to go to the police.
He reported the matter to the police last month and Corbett claimed Van der Merwe had since tried to sell the diamond at a meeting held on March 29 at the Cape Sun Hotel in the city centre.
Police were informed and managed to confiscate the diamond at the meeting.
Corbett, who has been in the country for nearly a year because of this matter, said he had no choice but to apply for an urgent application to get his diamond back because his visa, which he has extended several times, expires on April 12.
Van der Merwe has denied the allegations and has until Friday to file answering affidavits.
The case has been postponed to April 19. - Cape Argus
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