Detective switched $2M diamonds with fake

Detective Sergeant Knowledge Kabasa who investigated the Israeli pilot allegedly found in possession of US$2 million worth of diamonds, stole some of the diamonds, a Harare magistrate court heard on Monday.

Defence lawyer Jonathan Samukange of Venturas and Samukange said after allegedly stealing the gemstones, Kabasa replaced them with fake ones.

Samukange said this while cross-examining Det Sgt Kabasa

He asked Det Sgt Kabasa whether he was aware that his client Shmuel Kainan Klein's 2 140 carats were missing and he said he could only count the pieces and not carats.

Det Sgt Kabasa said he did not know what happened to them.

Samukange said: "Let me tell you what happened you took the good stones and replaced them with fake ones."

The detective denied the lawyer's claim.

Continued Samukange: "At one stage I didn't think you stole the diamonds but I am realising you are the one because of your conduct."

Earlier Det Segt Kabasa had told the court that Klein was not declared as a crew member but a passenger.

He did not dispute that the Israeli did not leave the airport.

Det Segt Kabasa said Klein had told them that the diamonds were to be used in the plane to which Samukange responded: "Officer it is nonsensical you know he is a pilot he cannot tell you he wanted to use the stone in a plane".

Prosecutor Michael Reza who is representing the State together with Ms Tracy Mundanga, made an application to have the matter postponed to April 4.

But the defence opposed the application saying all the witnesses in the case had given their testimonies.

"The law is very clear on disclosure, the law is very clear as regards to investigating during prosecution which they want to do.

"The attitude by Reza of wanting to be prosecutor and investigating officer is undesirable because justice must be seen to be done not only to one party.

"It is tantamount to reopening the State case. Accused will suffer prejudice," he submitted.

The matter was deferred to today for Samukange to bring case law on the issues he raised.

Charges against Klein arose on March 17 this year, at around 11am, when he tried to board a South African Airways flight number SA23 to South Africa.

It is alleged he was clad in a pilot's uniform when he presented himself to the passenger screening point which was manned by a Civil Aviation Authority security officer Wendy Gomo.

As his two bags were being screened, it is alleged, the security officer noted that Klein was uneasy and shaky prompting her to make a physical check of the hand luggage.

She discovered the diamonds that were wrapped in a sealed plastic bag.

The State says detectives from the border control unit were called in and counted the stones which totalled 1 379.

Further searches were made and another 67 pieces were found wrapped in a one United States dollar note stashed in the lining of the hand luggage.

Investigations revealed that Klein had arrived in the country the same day from South Africa aboard a South African flight as a passenger.

His passport was not stamped by immigration officers on arrival as he disguised himself as a crew member, it is alleged.

It was also established that Klein had travelled on the said flight as a passenger and not as a crew member.

The diamonds in question were taken to the Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe for assay and weighed 1,7 kg with a caratage of 8486,66 valued at US$2, 437 708.24.