By Kudzaishe Chimonera
A 38-year-old woman from Harare has appeared in court charged with unlawful possession of precious stones after she was allegedly found with a diamond in the city centre.
Faith Magaisa is accused of possessing a 4.91-carat diamond following a police operation carried out in December 2025.
According to court documents, police acted on a tip-off that she was seeking potential buyers for diamonds in Harare’s central business district.
Detectives from the CID Minerals, Flora and Fauna Unit are said to have launched an undercover operation to verify the information.
Prosecutors allege that a detective posed as a prospective buyer and arranged to meet Magaisa in town before the pair proceeded to Scorpion Empire Bar along Robson Manyika Avenue where the suspected deal was to be concluded.
“On arrival at Scorpion Empire Bar, the accused produced a plastic sachet containing one piece of diamond wrapped in a tissue from her purse,” reads part of the charge.
Court papers state that once the diamond was produced, detectives who had been monitoring the meeting identified themselves and moved in.
She was asked to provide documentation authorising her possession of the mineral.
“The detectives then recovered the piece of diamond and accused failed to produce any permit or license which authorizes her to possess the diamond leading to her arrest,” the state outlines.
The stone was later examined on 8 January 2026 at the Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe in the presence of the accused and confirmed to be genuine.
“The diamond was confirmed to be diamond weighing 4.91 carats valued at US$63.52,” the State says.
Prosecutors say the recovered stone and an assay report will be presented as exhibits during the trial, with the State expected to call witnesses.
“The accused acted unlawfully,” reads the State’s concluding assertion in its outline of the case.
