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 | | Thursday, 1 November, 2001, 18:11 GMT Sierra Leone minister arrested  Illegal diamond mining is rampant in Sierra Leone Sierra Leone's Minister of Transport and Communications Momoh Pujeh has been arrested for involvement in illegal diamond mining. The country's anti-corruption commission said Mr Pujeh's wife has also been detained. The commission said the two had been engaged in illicit diamond mining in Kenema district. They had also been found in possession of a large quantity of illicit diamonds. Embarrassment A BBC correspondent in Sierra Leone said the arrest will undoubtedly embarrass President Ahmed Tejan Kabbah as it is normally the rebel group, the Revolutionary United Front that is accused of illegal mining and diamond smuggling.
The minister is even said to have smuggled some diamonds to the United States. The arrest shows that the authorities are trying hard to prove they are cracking down on corruption. But illegal mining of so-called conflict diamonds is rampant throughout the country The RUF is itself deeply involved in the trade, but has alleged for some time that government officials are also running their own operations. | |
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