Durban - A 51-year-old man from the Northern Cape was released on R30,000 bail on Tuesday by the Port Nolloth Magistrates’ court after he was arrested for dealing in uncut diamonds.
The case was postponed to June 13, according to Hawks spokesperson Captain Tebogo Thebe.
The suspect, Paul Sergio Martin Bernando, was arrested on Monday in Port Nolloth by the Hawks together with the Springbok Public Order Policing unit. A take down operation was set up and executed by law enforcement.
He made his first appearance in court on Tuesday.
Thebe said police are currently investigating the matter further to establish where the suspect got the diamonds.
He said Bernando was born in Angola but had South African documentation.
The suspect was involved in illegal diamond transactions worth R144,000, according to police.
“A search and seizure was conducted, and police recovered three diamond lights, five diamond scales, two calculators, a diamond loop, a diamond classified sieves and a diamond scope tester. The suspect was allegedly involved in a number of diamond transactions worth R144 000,” Thebe said.
Head of the Hawks in the Northern Cape Major General Kholekile Galawe applauded the operational team for the arrest.
IOL