The director of diamonds together with the head of state arranged to host an exclusive meeting in a newly built bungalow in a Freetown suburb. It was going to be a dinner meeting. The place was a hideout; it belonged to the president but it was registered in the name of his fiancé. It was the right place for the type of meeting they were planning to host and nobody except the president, his three ministers: natural resources and mines, education, youth and sport and social welfare, and then the director of diamonds, and two international businessmen and two other non-politicians were to attend. A table was set in a small room. Two brand new long leather sofas and red carpet that bore elephant and tiger designs were brought in the day before. A professional furniture company was contacted out to do the furnishing: The carpet was laid neatly and the sofas set around a short gold-plated centre table in the room. Air-condition and a satellite telephone service was also installed, just for the occasion. The catering service was handled by the mistress of the house.
The presidential convoy arrived at the hideout at exactly eight o’clock in the night. Amidst heavy dark shades security men each in dark trench coat, the eighty-eight year old obese figure descended the gun proofed limousine Cadillac with a gold matching stick in hand, lace rappel and hat to match and then stepped on a red carpet that flooded the entire walkway. He was a bit wobbly as he walked along.
The sixty-eight year old director of diamonds, a banker, was dressed in spread collar wine shirt and khaki jeans, and was already on the doorstep with a silver briefcase near him, as he ushered the first citizen in. He had been the first to come in as according to arrangement. His brand new ninety thousand dollars black Lexus jeep, well sophisticated with navigator and other computerised systems - A/C and video facilities, was already parked just outside the garage gate on the lawn.
At about five minutes after the presiding officer for the august meeting arrived the other invitees stepped out of their expensive private cars systematically to grace the event.
The sixty-six year old spinster, the social welfare minister, stepped out next. A special official opened her door. She had come in one of her three luxurious snob cars. The grey Mercedes Benz CLS convertible saloon cruised in at a sedate pace and stopped nearby the now parked luminescent Limousine. She was clad in a brown elegant Escada suit, and draped on it was a flamboyant shawl. She looked exceptionally graceful and young in it. She also wore a pair of black gloves and a toque. She strode majestically on the red carpet in black leather ankle strap. As she moved on she forcefully removed her gloves and handed them over to the young man, probably her bodyguard, in her wake.
The septuagenarian education minister, a chartered accountant, was the next attendant. He came in with his latest BMW jeep, X5, black. He just smiled at the official that came to open the door for him and then matched on arrogantly to meet the others on the steps.
The fifty-something minister of natural resources was the next that join them. He wore an elegant, well-cut dark suit with a simple cream shirt. He rarely wore jewellery but this night he was putting on a very noticeable one in fact. It was a gold necklace with a diamond ornament on. He drove in with his one hundred and eighteen thousand dollars brand new Volkswagen Toaureg jeep. Special designed model.
The two businessmen that had been recommended by the natural resources minister came in two separate vehicles and then assisted in the house by four bodyguards. One looked Asian and the other a European.
Finally two men arrived in a green Peugeot car. One was lanky and the other was short and heavily bearded. They both looked like experts in some particular field. The beardy was in suit and was carrying a small case. The lanky one was wearing a pair of goggles and double-breasted coat. They both walked hurriedly towards the entrance as they were now considered late.
Two high men from the special security force of the president came out on the step and waved at the four armed officers standing at the main gate to lock the gate.
The entire place outside the bungalow fence was now sealed, condoned off from cars as well as passers-by. Men in dark shades and black suits paced up and down the street. The traffic along the street was diverted of course; absolutely no car was allowed to pass at all. Some residents living close to the bungalow were unexpectedly caught in the embarrassment. One medical doctor coming late home was almost punched on his face when he refused to obey the order barked out to him by a strange man who was waving to him to stop.
The important guests of state walked systematically to the glowing sitting room. Being in the private company of the president was always something else. Thus everybody was nervous a bit. Each avoided looking in his face for fear that he may ask them to leave without reason. The entire host considered themselves very lucky to have been chosen by the boss to attend this his self-styled meeting. The social welfare minister was included only on sufferance: the president had promised his entire cabinet members that he would always share the secret of the country with them, and that is he would select a couple of them each time the need arose. Her appointment had actually been to placate the feminist lobby for equal treatment in government affairs. She was here because the president felt it was her turn to be included in the night of sharing the secret of the land.
The room was now filled with attentive people, all, well, really few of them, awaiting the president to vouchsafe to them the secret for the first time. The two long sofas were set opposite of each other. On the right were seated the welfare minister, natural resources minister, the Asian and the European in that order. And on the left were the education minister, lanky expert, beardy expert and the director of diamonds.
“My friends and associates,” said the president, standing in an empty space with his hands behind his back, after waiting for all the guests to sit down. “I am proud to inform you that we are here to talk business.” He looked across to where the two businessmen were sitting and said. “May I have the honour to introduce to you Mr. Tsen of Formosa and Dr. Dan van Vossen….of Belgium…Haha.” He laughed lightly. It was his usual way of laughing when he was doing his ‘special businesses.
“These two people here are very important people.” He added on. “They are here in this country for a special mission.” Placing his hand to his chest he said. “I personally sent my private jet to take them in Morocco yesterday.” He started to move a bit away from the empty space that separated the two opposite sofas and then stopped again just nearby the one at his right. He placed his hand on the armrest, thereby forcing the director to remove his hand that was rested on the armrest. His face was still wreath in smiles.
“I have invited you my special associates,” he continued, referring to the ministers and the director, “Because I want to share with you the goodness of this our beloved country. The minister of natural resources really was the one that recommended the two international clients to me so that we could do business. For those of you who are just privilege to come to my meeting, I would like to inform you that we are here to sell carats of diamonds worth millions of dollars. Haha.”
Even though the president was the only one who had been speaking all that while, but a stiff quietness suddenly overwhelmed the whole room just as he finished saying these words. Ignoring the stillness he now spoke with guttural voice due to the effect of his throat he had just cleared. “Aaha! I am not saying that we shall not bargain or better still we shall not raise our price, but that is left to decide by my two expert diamond valuators here,” Pointing to the two men who came in last. Lanky forced out a servile smile.
The director of diamonds rose up taking away the silver briefcase from his lap and matched forward to where the president was now standing. He kneeled down on the carpet in front of everybody in the room and opened the briefcase. The social welfare minister was very new to such event. She was emotionally confused. She did not actually know whether she was daydreaming or simply disorientated. The old education minister like the natural resources minister and the director had been the president guests many a times, so he was unmoved. He just sat nonchalantly with his hand rested on the armrest and palm in jaw.
The director took two sealed tins out of the briefcase and placed them on the carpet. The president was studying his every movement. He then used a sharp instrument he had brought with him and opened the first tin and then the other. He took out the contents and spread them on a white tray. There were a lot of small gemstones noticeably glittering despite the brightness in the room. The social welfare minister’s heart warmed and warped. She was uncontrollably shaking. Is such thing happening here? She asked herself in bewilderment. She looked around the room to ensure herself of her present location.
The president motioned to one of the experts to come forward. The man in goggles eagerly came forward with his hands clasped behind his back, as a well-tamed lad. He waited for the president to tell him what to do. “I now want our two experts to price our precious diamonds.” The president said and smiled on. The man in goggles turned round and beckoned his mate who came forward swiftly with what were obviously their testing instruments. It took both specialists fifteen minutes to return to the room after having absorbed themselves in the experiment. The two people then folded their instruments and put them back in the case they had brought along. “They are good stuffs, yes good.” Said the lanky experts. “Pure!” the short one confidently said.
The two businessmen were called next to observe the ornaments. After about another fifteen minutes they were done. The socially welfare supremo’s heart sank. She was nervous to expose to the others her ignorance about precious stones. Mr. Tsen was smiling, obviously happy with what he saw. Dr. Vossen was expressionless, possibly he was thinking about something else. The two men with the president then shifted to one corner and had some tête-à-tête.
Coming back to the others the president said, smiling. “I now want my associates to come forward and do the inspection.” The social welfare minister’s heart was now racing. She had difficulty in levelling herself up from where she was sitting. She was a complete novice to what diamond was all about, but she had to come because she was part of the clique, a proud associate.
After all the guests have seated, and the two businessmen still standing with their hands behind their backs beside the president, the president now said. “I hope everybody is happy with what we have here. I now want my experts again to value these gems before we can go further.”
As the two men edged away from their seats to come forward, Dr. Vossen started to say something, but decided against it. Everybody except the education minister looked expectantly at him.
“Yes, my dear friend I think you want to say something right?” said the president.
“Sir, I will want to talk to you in private. I mean after here.”
“I also require the same reception with you sir.” Said Mr. Tsen.
There were mix feelings in the room. Even the novice social services minister showed concern about the special request their two guests have made to the president.
Dinner was served – the menu was mouth-watering:
Hors d’oeuvres: sea food cocktail, smoked salmon with toasted bread.
Soups: home made fish soup, boiled tripe (cow) and onion soup.
Egg dishes: omelette.
Grill: grilled fillet of steak (garlic butter), grilled lamb on a skewer with herbs, grilled prawns.
Drinks: Coffee, hot chocolate, ovaltine, horlicks.
“Mr. President I want to thank you specially for giving me the opportunity to eat such a tasty dinner. I am honest to say this is one of the best cuisine I ever tasted….thank you.” Said Dr. Vossen, wiping his mouth with the clean white table towel.
There was applause in the room. Some of the other guests acknowledged his statement. Mr. Tsen too said something but his voice was drowned in the laughter.
“My friend the pleasure is all yours. I also want to thank you for being grateful…haha….thank you, haha.” Replied the cheerful president.
The two international clients were escorted to their vehicles and then also the two experts were excused the same. After the room was left to only the president and his associates, he now sat on the sofa for the first time. He was occupying the area the European business man had seated earlier on. He stubbed his finger on the soft cushion armrest.
“Emm, Sesay.” Referring to the education minister. “You alluded in your last explanation to me that you needed seven thousand dollars for an overhaul of the student dormitories, right?”
“Yes sir, that’s right.” Answered the education minister.
“Well, that is all for now. We shall see to it soon.”
Turning to the mines minister, he said. “I want you to stop the issue of licence for now. I mean let us turn attention to the international investors. We can get huge profits from them.” the mines minister just looked on approvingly.
“Miss Rogers,” he said to the social welfare minister, “don’t tell me your people are still bothering you about reforms in the women’s empowerment movement.”
“Sir, is all right. The project you financed is gaining grounds.”
The meeting ended that way. No diamond was allowed to be priced. All the guests left after the president addressed them that they shall meet after he had talks with his clients.
Four days after this meeting there was a hell to pay with the director of diamonds and the mines minister. The president accused them of stealing ‘his diamonds’ and converting the money gained from the sales into their own accounts.
“I will not let anybody ruin what I have worked hard to build. You must pay for this.” He said as he ordered his special security men to arrest and detain the two people at once.
It was in the headlines of all the news papers in the country that the president had arrested two major officials and detained them for inefficiency and corruption. The crime was labelled ‘treason against the state.’ No adequate reason was given to the public why the two officials were arrested and detained. The matter was closed.
The Daily Events stated: ‘Director of Diamonds and Mines Minister sacked and behind bars for inefficiency.’
Our People’s info.: ‘Turmoil in the cabinet.’
Sierra Leone Today: ‘Director and Mines Minister to be question. For what?’
The two clients left without a deal, whilst investigation continued into the alleged fake diamonds in the two tins.
TO BE CONTINUED...
