MANDELA CHARITY OFFICIAL ‘RECEIVED CAMPBELL DIAMONDS’
Baku, August 6 (AZERTAC). The former head of Nelson Mandela Children`s Fund, Jeremy Ractliffe, has said he did receive uncut diamonds from the model Naomi Campbell, according to the BBC.
He issued a statement after her testimony at the war crimes trial of ex-Liberian leader Charles Taylor.
It is alleged she received the gems from Mr. Taylor in 1997, which could link him to illegal “blood diamonds”.
Mr. Ractliffe said he was happy to testify in The Hague and had now handed the stones over to the authorities.
Ms Campbell said she was given some “dirty-looking stones” after a 1997 charity dinner hosted by South Africa`s former President Nelson Mandela where Mr. Taylor was also a guest.
She said two unidentified men appeared at her room and gave her the stones.
She told the court she did not have proof they came from Mr. Taylor and had given them to Mr. Ractliffe because she wanted the stones to go to charity.
The fund has repeatedly denied receiving any diamonds from Ms Campbell.
Mr. Ractliffe, who is still a trustee of the fund, said he took the diamonds as he thought it might be illegal for her to take them out of the country.
Ms Campbell said at the trial in The Hague on Thursday that she spoke to Mr. Ractliffe on the telephone in 2009, and he said he still had the stones.
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