Call for Mpofu wealth probe

Source: Call for Mpofu wealth probe – DailyNews Live

STAFF WRITER      22 March 2017

HARARE – Zimbabwe’s Anti-Corruption Commission must investigate
allegations that Macro-Economic Planning minister Obert Mpofu (pictured)
allegedly siphoned diamonds money to amass his vast wealth, the Tendai
Biti-led People’s Democratic Party (PDP) said.

This comes amid a case in which the former Mines minister – believed to be
super rich – could lose his plush Glen Lorne property after he was dragged
to the High Court over a $2 million CBZ Bank (CBZ) debt.

PDP said Mpofu’s mega riches are “in one way or the other acquired using
unscrupulous means”.

“As we have always said, Mpofu was at the centre of the looting of the
Marange diamonds,” the opposition party said, adding that even “(President
Robert) Mugabe later admitted that $15 billion had been stolen (but)
shockingly, no investigation has been opened”.

“Knowing the paltry salary that a minister is entitled to, Mpofu could not
have properly accumulated such kind of wealth,” the PDP said in a
statement yesterday.

While Mpofu was unavailable for comment yesterday as his mobile phone was
unreachable, he has previously said in a statement that he would not
respond to “rumours”.

A record published in the press claims he owns Trebo and Khays, Maminza
Transport, and Khanondo Safari and Tours.

He also owned a newspaper at some point, which later shut down.

PDP said the closure of Mpofu’s businesses en masse, including Minus
Restaurant, Matetsi Meats Butchery, KST Bypass Fuel Service Station – all
leased from Hwange Colliery Company, KoMpofu Sports Bar and KoMpofu
Butchery is a clear indicator that he is no proper businessman.

“It is therefore clear that there was some corrupt activities that Mpofu
was engaged in using his powers as Mines minister or even when he became
Transport minister with Zinara funds at his disposal,” it said.

“At some point, Mpofu, in the middle of the night, went to fetch diamonds
delivered by the deputy sheriff for safe keeping at the Reserve Bank of
Zimbabwe,” PDP claimed.

“With this kind of conduct it is not surprising that Mpofu owns over 50
properties, so many companies, he even owns a big fraction of Victoria
Falls,” PDP said, adding that “there is need to weed out corruption for
the nation to progress.”