Moveable assets worth thousands of dollars owned by the Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company (ZCDC) have been attached by the sheriff of the high court.
This week's seizure comes after Dubai firm Pure Diam won a court judgment last year compelling the state-owned miner to pay it $14m for losses it suffered in 2016 when the government forcibly took over all diamond mining operations in Marange.
At the time, Pure Diam was in a joint venture with the now defunct Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation (ZMDC).
The case is seen by legal observers as a litmus test that would result in other aggrieved firms suing the government over their removal from diamond-rich Marange.
Judge Nyaradzo Munangati-Manongwa ruled that the ZCDC, the guarantor nominated by ZMDC in its agreement with Pure Diam, was legally bound to settle Pure Diam's debt and make the payment into a Dubai bank account.
It is understood that the ZCDC entered into a payment plan with Pure Diam, and a copy of a telegraphic transfer, seen by the Sunday Times, showed that the state-owned company instructed its bankers in December to pay the equivalent of $500,000 in South African rands to Pure Diam in instalments.
However, the transaction was not processed because of the foreign exchange shortage affecting most companies. Pure Diam approached the court for an order to attach assets at the ZCDC's Borrowdale office.
Property seized included desks, computers, laptops and vehicles including five Toyota Land Cruisers. The property is likely to be auctioned this month.
The foreign currency crisis was a talking point at this week's Mining Indaba in Cape Town, where mines minister Winston Chitando promised announcements soon.
"There will be a statement by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor any day now, and it would be improper for me to release insights . But government is fully aware that the issue of foreign currency retention has to be addressed," he said.
On Friday, Rio Zim announced the closure of three gold mines, the second shutdown since October. It said the central bank had not paid for gold deliveries since December...