Gemcanton Mine calm
…but divisions emerge in emerald association
A SWISS court has attached an account belonging to Abdoulaye Ndiaye in connection with the payment more than $47,000, 000 for purchase price of shares in Gemcanton mine, attorney fee, costs and interest.
The action follows the freezing of Mr Ndiaye’s assets world wide by a London court following a dispute with an Israeli billionaire Lev Leview whose local representative, Eli Neaffusy was captured and deported from Zambia by a team of combined police and Immigration Officers last year.
The court froze his Swiss account number 206198058 and ordered him not to dispose off his emeralds.
According to the deed of claim issued by the Swiss court, the award covered the purchase agreement dated September 16, 2015 and another dated December 10, 2015.
Mr Ndiaye, the owner of Grizzly Mining which renamed Gemcanton after a merger with an Isreali company has been ordered not to sale assets valued at US$ 50, 700, 000.
The ruling was passed by Justice Andrew Baker in the High Court of Justice, Business and Property Courts of England and Wales.
A penal notice, states that if Mr Ndiaye disobeys the order, he may be held in contempt of court and may be imprisoned, fined or have his assets seized.
The notice also warns that any other person who knows of this order and does anything which helps or permits Mr Ndiaye to breach the terms of the order may also be held to be in contempt of court and may be imprisoned, fined or have their assets seized.
Meanwhile, normal operations have continued at Gemcanton Investment Limited, an emerald mine in Lufwanyama, which has been a subject of a partnership dispute.
The court order has also directed freezing of Mr Ndiaye’s Swiss account after a dispute with his partner.
A check by the Daily Nation crew at the giant emerald mining company found that the situation was calm among workers who went about their normal operations.
Some of the workers talked to said they had heard about the development but they were not unsettled because their interest was to work and get paid regardless of who the shareholder was.
Efforts to talk to senior management officials proved futile as all of them were not available for a comment.
A mine manager only identified as Mr Mukuma was said to be out of town and a company spokesperson will only be available for a comment next week.
However, the development at Gemcanton, has exposed divisions within the Emerald and SemiPrecious Stones Association of Zambia (ESMAZ).
ESMAZ President Victor Kalesha has vowed to rally behind Mr Ndiaye while his Secretary General Shadrick Mwape said the stance was not the position of the association but his personal position.