Zanu PF official in diamond smuggling case dies

By Lance Guma
28 may 2007

A Zanu PF official who faced charges of possessing 10 700 carats of diamonds and bribing a police officer with US$700 died Monday morning. William Nhara was the principal director in the Ministry without Portfolio and also spokesperson for Zanu PF’s Harare province. Only this month a Harare regional court had to cancel a warrant of arrest issued against him following confirmation from his lawyer Jonathan Samkange and a Prison Services medical doctor that he could not attend trial due to ill health. He had initially been granted Z$5 million bail and was staying at his home in Vainona Harare.

A relative who spoke to Newsreel expressed bitterness at the turn of events saying although Nhara succumbed to ill health following an operation, he was not should not have spent such a long time in remand prison. They are convinced his incarceration contributed to his bad health. The family say have a lot of questions they need answers to, but will first bury their loved one before demanding answers. Nhara was arrested at Harare International airport in March after allegedly escorting a Lebanese woman who had illegal diamonds. He is also said to have attempted to help the woman pass through airport security by bribing officials there. On three separate occasions the High Court denied him bail saying he would interfere with state witnesses.