diamonds and an electric scale used to weigh diamonds.156 Dube pleaded guilty in a Harare magistrate court and was convicted and fined for violating the Precious Stones Trade Act.157 Among the soldiers stationed in Marange, disputes over control of the illegal diamond trade and the share of benefits have often turned violent and fatal. On June 1, 2009, local media reported that four soldiers in Marange were shot dead by their colleagues on May 24, 2009, allegedly over disputes involving the sharing of proceeds from the illegal sale of diamonds.158 Role of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Human Rights Watch research suggests that the RBZ, which had no legal status to buy diamonds until the end of January 2009, has been a major buyer of illegal diamonds from Marange since as early as 2006. In so doing, it violated the Precious Stones Trade Act by buying diamonds from unlicensed miners and other illegal sources. Buying diamonds from illegal and undocumented sources also violates KPCS requirements, which stipulate that participants must record all sources of diamonds and export them with necessary documentation indicating their origin. Several middlemen told Human Rights Watch that they had been RBZ agents in Marange since October 2006 and that they got money to buy diamonds from bank officials.159 Local miners told Human Rights Watch that the RBZ and foreign buyers offered market prices for the diamonds purchased. A credible local organization based in Mutare that carried out research in Marange has also named the RBZ as one of the main buyers of the area’s diamonds.160 A police officer in Harare told Human Rights Watch that when he was deployed to guard Marange diamonds fields in August 2008, his superiors told him that several named middlemen, including one known only by the alias “Gonyeti,” were untouchable because 156 Valentine Maponga, “$2 million bail for ZDI Chief’s son,” The Zimbabwe Standard, March 18, 2007. 157 “Diamonds, Gold, land Harare man in trouble,” The Herald (Zimbabwe), June 4, 2007. 158 “Chiadzwa: The Blood keeps flowing,” Zimbabwe Online, June 1, 2009, http://www.zimonline.co.za/Article.aspx?ArticleId=4671 (accessed June 3, 2009). See also, “Four soldiers killed in diamond incident,” The Zimbabwe Times, June 1, 2009, http://www.thezimbabwetimes.com/?p=17216 (accessed June 4, 2009). 159 Human Rights Watch interview with middleman K.K., Harare, February 2, 2009; and M.C., Mutare, February 8, 2009. 160 Centre for Research and Development (Mutare), “A preliminary report into Operation Hakudzokwi,” (CRD: March 2009), on file with Human Rights Watch. 49 Human Rights Watch | June 2009