New twist in the origins of unique Ruby in Dubai

Dodoma.  The controversy regarding the origins of a unique 2.8kg ruby on Saturday, April 23, took a new twist after the minerals minister Dotto Biteko claimed that gold and diamond collection company, wanted to bribe the Tanzania government to validate the origins of the gemstone.

Biteko was speaking at a seminar for women legislators organised by the State Mining Corporation (Stamico) where special seats MP Salome Makamba and Geita Urban MP Constantine Kanyasu raised the issue.

According to the Minister, Tanzania has been promised a $20 million (Sh46billion) by the collector from auction of what is claimed to be the world’s biggest ruby.

 Dr Biteko said that after talks were held between Tanzania,  the United States and Arab Emirates government officials and it was confirmed that the ruby was indeed purchased from the United States.

He told lawmakers that they had contacted the person asking him to provide an original certificate indicating how he got the ruby and transported it and this was done after going through all the documents and finding that there was no information that any such mineral had left the country.

He said the company presented to the government a GIA Certificate from the United States which was found to be defective as the stone was declared to be 2.8 kg yet the document showed it is weighed 3.4 kg.

“We asked them to bring Tanzania’s certificates, yesterday we agreed to meet the people of Dubai, the United States and Tanzania, but before we could meet they told us they have 12 gemstones from Tanzania which they got some 11 years ago," he said.

Biteko added: When we told them that we will have a Press Conference they said they have 25 stones of different weights, so now I beg you to be calm you never know what that means.

The minister further said that in gemstone trade there are certain set criteria that must be met for a gemstone to go into the market and one of them is they must be from a country that does not have conflicts.

 “It’s okay to say the stone came from Tanzania because the country meets that criteria since it stands for justice and does not have any war, but first the truth should be told,” he added.

Mid this week, the company in an email sent to the Citizen confirmed that they the variegated ruby which is still raw was mined in Tanzania some 10 years ago.