Supermodel's friend says SAfricans have diamonds

[August 06, 2010]  JOHANNESBURG (AP) -- Naomi Campbell's friend says he has given the diamonds she allegedly received from war crimes-indicted Charles Taylor to South African authorities.

Jeremy Ratcliffe says that he had "just kept" the three, small uncut stones until recently. He says he had told the British supermodel that it might be illegal for her to export the diamonds.

Ratcliffe told The Associated Press Friday that he will be a witness at the International Court at The Hague in the trial of the former Liberian warlord.

Campbell told that court Thursday that she gave the stones to Ratcliffe in 1997 in hopes they could benefit a good cause. Ratcliffe was then director of the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund.

Ratcliffe said he did not report the matter to the fund.

[Associated Press]

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