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Government has confirmed a probe into gold smuggling and money laundering allegations raised against individuals and institutions implicated in a series of investigative documentaries broadcasted by Al Jazeera’s Investigations Unit dubbed ‘Gold Mafia’.
Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa Tuesday said the government was taking the allegations seriously.
Her confirmation comes in the backdrop of threats to media outlets against reporting about the docuseries by Deputy Chief Secretary in Presidential Communications, George Charamba through one of his many Twitter handles, @Tinoedzazvimwe1 last week.
“FRIENDLY ADVICE TO ALL RECKLESS JOURNALISTS: Al-Jazeera is not a court of law before whose claims impart privileges to defamatory utterances. It is merely some weaponised channel. If you are reckless enough to repeat what its phony documentary defamatorily says, hoping to plead:
“I heard/saw it on Al Jazeera”, you will be sorry for yourself. Do not for once think there is no grit to act against reckless, defamatory and politically motivated journalism. Faceless Twitter names egging you on will not be a factor when brickbats come. Be warned!,” said the Presidential press secretary.
“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.
Government takes the allegations raised in the documentary 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,” Mutsvangwa said.
Mutsvangwa said government’s position over the allegations is a sign of reaffirming “its commitment to upholding local and international laws, including laws relating to financial transactions, the trade of gold and other precious minerals”.
She said 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 and the nation will be kept apprised of any new developments.
The international broadcasting channel has so far aired two out of four episodes exposing how those linked to the country’s political elites are using their links to loot and smuggle gold from the country. Nhau/Indaba
