THE state-run Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company (ZCDC) has been barred by the High Court from pillaging diamond ore which belongs to Mbada Diamonds (Pvt) Limited, in a new setback for government’s troubled mining project.

Mbada has been granted an interdict stopping the ZCDC — formed last year through a forced merger of Marange Resources, Gye Nyame, Diamond Mining Corporation, and Kusena — from looting its ore dumps. Anjin, Jinan and Mbada rejected the consolidation process. This comes amid reports that since the end of Mbada operations on February 22 last year, illegal panners have breached security to loot more than 150 000 tonnes of diamond ore stockpiles that were ready for processing.

ZCDC and the Zimbabwe Republic police have been defying the previous High Court order issued in February. Sources said due to poor production the ZCDC has been plundering Mbada’s ore to boost its waning fortunes. The High Court interdict, granted on Tuesday, bars the ZCDC from interfering with or taking ore belonging to Mbada.