The government last month said it had opened investigations into money-laundering and gold-smuggling in the country after a four-part Al-Jazeera documentary, The Gold Mafia, was aired across the globe detailing how suspected members of the gold mafia were smuggling the precious minerals to the United Arab Emirates and other countries.
Among the stakeholders who had raised concern was the Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe (EFZ) – a corporate body of local churches – which said it was disturbed by Good News Church (formerly Spirit Embassy) founder Prophet Uebert Angel’s suspected role in the saga. Prophet Angel is President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s ambassador- at large.
Information and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa last month said those found on the wrong side of the law were going to face the full wrath of the law. “Government takes note of a documentary titles ‘Gold Mafia’, currently being serialised by an international broadcasting channel which purports to expose a network on alleged money laundering and gold smuggling in Zimbabwe,” she said.
“Government takes the allegation 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.” This was after the EFZ had added its voice to calls on the government to conduct an investigation into the allegations.
The four-part documentary series filmed by Al Jazeera’s Investigative Unit detailed how international crime networks reaped profits from illicit gold sales from Zimbabwe using a network designed to bust sanctions imposed on the country.
The documentary sparked outrage among the population in a country where the majority of citizens could barely eke out a decent living against the grim backdrop of economic meltdown. EFZ said it was dismayed by the revelations in the documentary, particularly “the involvement of individuals claiming to represent the morality, integrity and probity of the Christian faith”.
“The documentary alleges that the corruption and maladministration that has crippled the nation and strangled the efforts of many ordinary citizens of Zimbabwe is aided and abated by the high offices in the land in cahoots with criminal networks,” reads the statement in part. EFZ urged the government to ensure that an investigation was launched to establish the truth behind the allegations as a matter of urgency.
“These investigations must be done expeditiously so as not to give room and opportunity for those implicated to destroy or conceal culpability and evidence of the extent and depth of corruption in Zimbabwe,” said the church body. EFZ bemoaned how corruption had paved the way for economic, institutional and social degradation that plunged many Zimbabweans into the depth of poverty and urged the nation to return to the moral and spiritual values many claimed were part of their Christian faith and heritage.
Prophet Angel has since dismissed claims that he was involved in any criminal activity, with his office saying the ambassador was instrumental in luring the gold dealers with a view to exposing them. Others in his camp have rubbished the documentary, alleging that it was part of an elaborate Islamic agenda to discredit the representatives of the Christian faith.
Prophet Angel was appointed the country’s Ambassador at Large and Presidential Envoy by President Mnangagwa in March 2021, with the specific responsibility to seek trade and investment opportunities for the country.
The documentary was made possible through several undercover operations spanning three continents and exposed how gold was clandestinely smuggled from Zimbabwe every month to Dubai, facilitating money- laundering through an intricate web of shell companies, fake invoices and paid-off officials.
The Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) has reportedly launched investigations into the individuals fingered in money- laundering activities and illicit gold dealings. The Insurance and Pensions Commission is said to have launched investigations into Ambassador Angel and Ewan Macmillan to ascertain their assets and probe their recent transactions.
Those cited in the documentary include Ambassador Angel’s personal assistant Rikki Doolan, Simon Rudland, Henrietta Rishwaya, Alistair Matthias and Kamlesh Pattni. Prophet Uebert Angel and his assistant, Rikki Doolan – who is also a recording gospel artiste – were captured on camera assuring undercover reporters posing as Chinese criminals that he could launder USD1.2 billion for them using his diplomatic red tape.
Doolan was recorded asking for $200,000 facilitation fee to see President Mnangagwa. The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe has since frozen the assets of Cleopas Chidodo, David Chirozvi, Mehlululi Dube and Fredrick Kunaka who said they assisted a long-running gold smuggling and money laundering ring. The quartet were also caught on camera explaining their various roles in gold-smuggling.
