A pastor in Sierra Leone has unearth one of the largest uncut diamonds found in the region to date – a 706 - carat alluvial diamond .
The fortuitous discoverer , Pastor Emmanuel Momoh , find the stone in the informal minelaying sphere of eastern Kono . He hand thediscoveryover to the authorities , who will sell the precious stone in a “ lucid ” bidding process .
" A 706 - carat diamond was presented to President Dr Ernest Bai Koroma yesterday evening , " said the government in astatement . " Receiving the diamond , President Koroma thanked the chief and his citizenry for not smuggling the rhombus out of the country . "
The baseball diamond is one of the largest discovered in Sierra Leone , 2nd only to a 968.9 - karat Edward Durell Stone excavate in 1972 . It sell for $ 2.5 million .
Although substantial in size , it ’s dwarfed by previous mammoth discoveries : A 3,106 - carat stone was found in South Africa in 1905 , and a 1,1110 - carat diamond was discovered in Botswana in 2015 .
The highest bidder will receive the diamond , with the profits distributed between Momoh and the political science ( the amount each will receive has not been disclosed ) .
Momah toldThe Associated Pressthat he turned the diamond in , rather than smuggle it , because " I think the government can do more , peculiarly at a clock time when the country is undergoing some economical challenge . "
Sierra Leone is ill-famed for being one of seven African country whose “ stock ” diamonds spur a decennary - long civil war . Rival groups fought to gain mastery of mineral - plentiful territory , lead in bloodshed and human rights abuses .
The administration has made moves to crack down on baseball diamond trafficking , and seems to be hear to utilise this chance to present a better face .
In 2003 , the United Nation lifted their forbiddance on the part ’s diamond exports . have ’s hope this diamond can go towards convinced ontogeny in the country .
The 706 - diamond let out by Pastor Emmanuel Momoh has yet to be valued . State House , The Republic of Sierra Leone
