DASH FOR LIBERTY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21153, 9 April 1932, Page 2 (Supplement)

DASH FOR LIBERTY.

DIAMOND DEALER'S OFFENCE. AN ILLEGAL PURCHASE. FINE OF £2OO IMPOSED. A fine of £2OO with the alternative of nine months' imprisonment without hard labour was imposed by Mr. Justice Maritz at Johannesburg sessions on February 9 on Samuol De Lange, a diamond dealer, who pleaded guilty of buying 271 uncut diamonds from Detectivo J. D. Malan. Counsel for defendant, in pleading for leniency, said that De Lange was trapped into buying a parcel of 271 diamonds in tho Jeppo Arcade. They were valued at £14,000 and according to Do Lange this was a conservative eutimale. Do Lange was inveigled into buying the diamonds by two people, ono of whom, Malan, was admittedly a police trap, and the other owned an office in tho arcade. They were the only people who witnessed tho transaction, which took place in a room. Do Lange paid £990 in cash to Malan and made out a cheque (which was stopped) for £IOOO, payable next day. De Lange received tho parcel of diamonds and as lie emerged from the room he saw police officers closing on him. lie realised that tho transaction was a trap and being a sportsman, made a dash for liberty. He tossed tho parcel of diamonds through tho back window of a car in the street and made off. When he was arrested the diamonds were not found in his possession. Defendant was taken to the office of the diamond department and informed that the parcel was a Government parcel of great value, and if he co-operated in their recovery everything would be done | to have his assistance held in mitigation of the offence. Do Lango decided not to endeavour to take advantage of tho unsuccessful ruse in getting rid of the diamonds, but to return them and throw himself on the mercy of tho court. Offer ol £14,000 For £3OOO. Counsel: Had it not been for accused's co-operation tho diamonds would never have been found. The police owe it tc him that the valuable parcel of diamonds has been recovered. Tho parcel broke, continued counsel, when De Lange tossed it into the car, and some of the diamonds were missing l Tho police subsequently recovered thre\ two found by themselves and one by a lady, but 50 carats, worth £250, were still missing. Tho police were satisfied, however, that Do Lange had done all in his power to return the diamonds. It had been a profitable transaction for the Government, which had made £750. De Lange, said counsel, was 54 years of ago and had a wife and child. He came to South Africa from Holland 40 years ago. 110 had served with the forces of tho South African Republic throughout the Boer War, and when war broke out in 1914 he went to German-East Africa, where ho was seriously wounded, and was to-day receiving a pension from the Government on account of that disablement. De Lango had a clean record and had never previously bad trouble with the police. Counsel asked the judge to consider the extremely great temptation placed before De Lange. Ho was offered £14,000 for £3OOO, and one could sympathise with him if ho fell to tho temptation. Then there was tho fact that the police had refused to give back Do Lange's £990. De Lango had also lost his diamond dealer's licence and tho polico wero not prepared to recommend a renewal. The maximum fine for tho offence was £IOOO, and Do Lango had already virtually paid this. Remarks by the Judge. Counsel for the prosecution said he agreed that there wero features in the case that lifted it- out of tho ordinary rut. De Lango had been frank and had assisted the police. He would not wish for a fine beyond Do Lange's powers to pay to bo imposed. Mr. Justice Maritz said that the chief point in Do Lange's favour was that he helped the police to recover the diamonds, which would otherwise have been lost to the State. "In view of your record," continued the judge, " it hurts anyone to see you in the position you aro in to-day. It, hurts me particularly to have tho hard task of sentencing you." The diamond trade, the judge remarked, was one of the biggest enterprises in the country, and unless it. was strictly controlled chaos would result. The fine imposed could not be inadequate to the enormity of tho offence.