THE SOUTH African who received alleged “blood diamonds” from supermodel Naomi Campbell is expected to be called to a meeting next week to explain himself to the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund (NMCF).
Jeremy Ractliffe (74) is likely be asked by NMCF trustees why he accepted the diamonds from Campbell, why he did not inform the fund and why he kept them for 13 years, surrendering them to police only last week when his name emerged in the supermodel’s testimony at the Charles Taylor war crimes trial in The Hague.
The trial has heard conflicting evidence over whether Campbell was told the gems came from then Liberian president Charles Taylor, who is accused of using diamonds to fund civil war in Sierra Leone.
Oupa Ngwenya, strategic projects, initiatives and partnerships co-ordinator at the NMCF, said: “There will be due processes where the trustees will meet and he [Ractliffe] can make a formal submission.”
Mr Ngwenya insisted the affair would not undermine the NMCF’s ability to raise money. “Any organisation in this situation will be uncomfortable with its image exposed to risk in this way,” he said. “But our credibility is what has seen us through the years.”
Mr Ractliffe yesterday denied receiving a summons from the NMCF. “I don’t know about a meeting next week,” he said. “I’m me and the children’s fund is the children’s fund.”
Mr Ractliffe, who is still a trustee of the fund, is due to either stand down or run for re-election at the fund’s annual general meeting on August 27th. – (Guardian service)