Ractliffe faces diamond charge

Jeremy Ractliffe. Photo / Supplied

A former trustee of the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund is facing criminal charges after supermodel Naomi Campbell told a war crimes tribunal she gave him three alleged blood diamonds in 1997, prosecutors said.

Jeremy Ractliffe, who admitted he had the stones after they came under scrutiny at the war crimes trial of former Liberian dictator Charles Taylor, has been charged with illegal possession of uncut diamonds, South Africa's national prosecuting authority said yesterday.