African Consolidated Resources has accused the country's government of ignoring a high court ruling according to which staff may return to the Marange diamond mine in Zimbabwe. The mine was expropriated in January.

The Liberian Police guarded the property barred workers from entering, despite last week's court order.

General Manager Andrew Cranswick said: "We were told if we withdrew our court application, the government would agree to negotiate with us, but that hasn't happened either."