The International Court of Arbitration in Paris has ruled in favour of Zimbabwe in the case involving nearly 500,000 carats of diamonds estimated to be worth about US$ 45 million that were seized in Belgium in September this year, according to local media reports that quoted a spokesperson of the Zimbabwe government.

The seizure had been ordered in a case filed by a South African mining company, Amari Platinum Holdings in connection with its dispute with the Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation over the cancellation of a lease for platinum mining at the start of this decade.

FaraiMutamangira, who headed the team of lawyers appointed by the Zimbabwe government, was quoted as saying that the Amari appeal had been dismissed. He added that the court had ruled that the diamonds belonged to mining companies and not to the Government of Zimbabwe and ZMDC.

Amari has said it would appeal against the verdict.

Mutamangira also clarified that the diamonds would not immediately be returned to the companies that owned them as there was another claim pending in a case filed by a group of Dutch farmers whose land was distributed to landless farmers in Zimbabwe by the government. The farmers have argued that the US-based International Centre for Settlement of Investment had ruled that they were entitled to a US$ 54 million compensation award.

A decision on the farmer’s case is expected on December 18.