Story highlights Pastor hands over diamond to the government

Gem may not be the largest ever found, but it's pretty close

(CNN) A pastor has unearthed a massive gem in eastern Sierra Leone.

Pastor Emmanuel Momoh, who also works as a miner, discovered the 706-carat diamond in Kono district, the government said in a statement.

He handed it over to President Ernest Bai Koroma, who thanked him for not smuggling it out of the country. The President pledged to reward him with some of the proceeds from the sale of the diamond.

The government plans to sell it to the highest bidder, the President said.

The gem may not be the largest ever found, but it's pretty close.