Prosecutor Criticizes AP Diamond Investigators

When Nikhil Manilal died of a heart seizure during a police raid of his house, the Antwerp diamond industry responded in shock and anger. Manilal, a 46 year-old Indian diamond trader based in Antwerp, suffered a heart attack when a police team entered his house to conduct a search. A quick consultation between the raiding team and a legal advisor resulted in the refusal to allow Manilal to be evacuated to a hospital.

According to recent court hearings, the December 2007 death may have been avoided not only if Manilal could reach a hospital on time. The entire police investigation was allegedly misconduct, a result of the actions of over-zealous detectives that have thwarted the Public Prosecutor's Office and allegedly ignored exonerating information. The search at Manilal’ house should have never taken place.

The court said, according to a De Tijd report this past weekend, that the investigated fraud was exaggerated and that a related seizure of diamonds led to the bankruptcy of A.P. Diamonds.

The investigation of A.P. Diamonds started as a large-scale fraud case involving conflict diamonds, from which the president of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe, and the president Congo, Joseph Kabila, have allegedly benefited.

However, the Public Prosecutor Office claimed during the court hearing that it prosecuted A.P. Diamonds and two company executives for seven incorrect invoices worth a few hundred thousand Euros.

Further, the Public Prosecutor revealed that he is filing a complaint against two detectives of the federal judicial police in Antwerp who were handling the case. They allegedly tried to hide the fact that the fraud was less extensive than previously thought, purposely ignored an important credit note and have “twisted” testimonies. The detectives are accused of taking advantage of the limited expertise of the examining magistrate.

This investigation led to the bankruptcy of A.P. Diamonds due to the seizure of diamonds worth €1.5 million. “In June 2005 the detectives knew this was over the top. But even a partial release of the unlawfully held goods, in order to pay personnel and the social security, was denied,” said Fred Erdman, lawyer of the accused.

Manilal’s only crime, as it comes out from the court hearings, was that he was a customer of A.P. Diamonds.