Nelson Mandela's ex-charity chief found not guilty over 'blood diamonds'

Source: The Guardian

The former head of Nelson Mandela's children's charity, who received alleged "blood diamonds" from the British supermodel Naomi Campbell, has been cleared of wrongdoing by a South African court.

Jeremy Ractliffe, founder of the charity, had been charged with illegally keeping uncut diamonds. The gems were passed to him by Campbell after she allegedly received them as a gift from former Liberian president Charles Taylor.

A judge said that the case against Ractliffe, who could have faced 10 years in jail if convicted, was not proven. "Mr Ractliffe, you are not guilty and discharged," said magistrate Renier Boshoff after hearing half a day of testimony.

Ractliffe, 74, the former chief executive of the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund, had been accompanied to court by his wife and five daughters, who embraced and wept after hearing the verdict. Ractliffe claimed he kept the stones and did not report them to authorities in an attempt to protect the reputations of Mandela, Campbell and the charity.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jun/15/mandela-charity-boss-cleared-blood-diamonds