Nqobile Bhebhe and Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Reporters
GOVERNMENT yesterday directed State organs to probe individuals implicated in the Al Jazeera documentary titled “Gold Mafia” which ostensibly unearthed suspected gold smuggling and money laundering involving millions of United States dollars.
So far, the Qatar-based Al Jazeera television network has released two episodes of its four-part series.
In a statement yesterday, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said the Government takes seriously the allegations of money laundering and gold smuggling in Zimbabwe that were raised in the documentary.
Minister Monica Mutsvangwa
She said any person found to have engaged in acts of corruption, fraud or any form of crime, will face the full wrath of the law.
“Government takes note of a documentary titled Gold Mafia, currently being serialised by an international broadcasting channel which purports to expose a network of alleged money laundering and gold smuggling in Zimbabwe,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.
“Government takes the allegations raised in the document seriously and has directed relevant organs to institute investigations into the issues raised therein. Any person found to have engaged in acts of corruption, fraud or any form of crime, will face the full wrath of the law.”
The minister said Government reaffirms its commitment to upholding local and international laws, including laws relating to financial transactions, and the trade of gold and other precious minerals.
During his swearing-in ceremony in November 2017, President Mnangagwa declared zero tolerance to corruption.
Minister Mutsvangwa said the name-dropping and boastful behaviour by those who were featured in the documentary should not be mistaken to represent Government policies.
“Boastful behaviour and name-dropping by some personalities featured in the documentary, seeking personal gain and glory, should never be taken as an enunciation of Government Policy.
“Government remains seized with the matter and the nation will be kept apprised of any new developments,” she said.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said they will issue a statement today. Other heads of institutions implicated had by last night not responded to inquiries by the Chronicle.
Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi
However, in March, Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) governor, Dr John Mangudya in a strong-worded statement, dismissed as false and malicious reports purporting that the central bank is engaged in illicit gold dealings, corruption, and money laundering.
He said it is gravely disturbing to note that the strange reports claim that “through the Bank, Government is using illicit ways as a scheme to bust international sanctions placed on political leaders and government entities”.
“It is deeply concerning, and the Apex Bank is disturbed by sensationally wild, false, and malicious media reports, carried in snippets of an unscreened Al Jazeera documentary, produced by the network’s Investigative Unit, purveying the impression that the Bank is ‘Southern Africa’s laundromat’ or ‘Southern Africa’s laundry service’ for an alleged African gold mafia involved in illicit gold dealings, corruption, and money laundering,” said Dr Mangudya.
Dr John Mangudya
He said the then snippets cited a few boastful and name-dropping individuals, who neither work for nor represent the Bank in any capacity, as sources of the allegations.
“The outrageous reports quote one of the cited individuals as boasting that he has a diplomatic cover to ‘fly dirty cash’ into Zimbabwe where it can be laundered through gold and other investments.
“Another individual is reported to have asserted that there is an opportunity, a hell of a big opportunity to wash money here (in Zimbabwe). Yet another self-serving claim is that one individual bragged that his phone ‘is on speed dial’ with the Bank’s Governor. These are all false and malicious allegations,” said RBZ boss.
Dr Mangudya said the central bank is not a sanctioned entity and there are no sanctions on Zimbabwean exports and imports to warrant Zimbabwe to circumvent international sanctions through illicit trade in gold.
“It is particularly strange that the reports claim that through the Bank, Government is using illicit ways as a scheme to bust international sanctions placed on political leaders and government entities. The Bank is not a sanctioned entity, and the cited individuals are not sanctioned persons either,” he said.
“There are no sanctions on Zimbabwean exports and imports, including trade in gold, to warrant Zimbabwe to circumvent international sanctions through illicit trade in gold. As such, the claim that there is ‘a scheme to bust international sanctions using illicit ways’ shows beyond doubt that the peddlers of this narrative have a sinister agenda with nefarious objectives of tarnishing both the Bank and the Republic of Zimbabwe.”
The central bank governor said it was worrying, disappointing, and deplorable to note that scurrilous allegations claim that Zimbabweans are at the forefront of spreading malicious falsehoods about the Bank and the country.