This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-39289749
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 0 | Version 1 |
---|---|
Sierra Leone pastor finds huge diamond in Kono | Sierra Leone pastor finds huge diamond in Kono |
(35 minutes later) | |
A Christian pastor has discovered one of the world's largest uncut diamonds in Sierra Leone's Kono district. | A Christian pastor has discovered one of the world's largest uncut diamonds in Sierra Leone's Kono district. |
The diamond, weighing 709 carats, is now locked up in Sierra Leone's central bank in Freetown. It is one of the 20 largest diamonds ever found. | The diamond, weighing 709 carats, is now locked up in Sierra Leone's central bank in Freetown. It is one of the 20 largest diamonds ever found. |
Freelance, or artisanal, miners are common in Sierra Leone's diamond-rich areas, reports the BBC's Umaru Fofana. | Freelance, or artisanal, miners are common in Sierra Leone's diamond-rich areas, reports the BBC's Umaru Fofana. |
But there are questions over whether the community will benefit from the discovery, he adds. | But there are questions over whether the community will benefit from the discovery, he adds. |
Pastor Emmanuel Momoh's discovery, which has not yet been valued, is the biggest diamond to be found in Sierra Leone since 1972, when the 969-carat Star of Sierra Leone was dug up. | |
It was first taken to President Ernest Bai Koroma on Wednesday evening before being locked up. | |
The president "thanked the [local] chief and his people for not smuggling the diamond out of the country", a statement from the presidency says. | |
Mr Koroma said that the owners should get "what is due to them" and it should "benefit the country as a whole", it adds. | |
Sierra Leone is well known for its diamond industry but it has had a chequered history. | Sierra Leone is well known for its diamond industry but it has had a chequered history. |
Diamond sales partly fuelled the country's decade-long civil war when rebel groups exchanged them for weapons. | Diamond sales partly fuelled the country's decade-long civil war when rebel groups exchanged them for weapons. |