Zimbabwe contests $45 million diamond cash seizure by Belgium

There was a flurry of meetings in government this week over the $45 million diamond cash debacle in Belgium, although Mines Minister Walter Chidhakwa says are not worried about the reported seizure.

This comes after Amari Platinum Holdings had won a temporary relief to freeze the Antwerp auction proceeds, in line with an international tribunal's ruling that the unilateral cancelling of its mining venture with ZMDC was wrong.

Chidhakwa said is not worried about that as the cash has not yet been taken and will take care of the challenges.

Chidhakwa added the beleaguered administration was actually escalating legal action against Michael Munn's company to retrieve the cash and which largely belongs to private Marange players.

Zimbabwe which was holding its third Belgian sale after the lifting of restrictive measures on the industry in 2013, was expecting a $70 million plus windfall from the auction.