Emmerson Mnangagwa, Zimbabwe’s new President has opened a three-month
amnesty window for the return of public funds illegally stashed abroad
by individuals and companies.
Mnangagwa in a statement Tuesday said that upon the expiration of the
amnesty at end of February 2018, the government will arrest and
prosecute those who would have failed to comply.
The country's former finance minister Ignatius Chombo, was on Monday
charged with three counts of corruption in offenses that allegedly took
place two decades ago. He was denied bail on Monday and will remain in
custody until his case is heard on December 8. Chombo, who faces
charges including trying to defraud the central bank, was detained after
the military seized power in “Operation Restore Legacy”, which it said
was meant to remove “criminals” around former president Robert Mugabe.
His lawyer, Lovemore Madhuku, told reporters that he would appeal the
magistrate’s ruling in the High Court on Tuesday. “We are hopeful that
the High Court will show independence,” Madhuku said. The magistrate
who detained Chombo said the former minister could abscond, influence
state witnesses or be the target of a mob attack over the allegations
that he abused his position.
Chombo, who was appointed finance minister in October, was among
members of the G40 political faction allied to Mugabe and his wife,
Grace, who were also expelled from the ruling ZANU-PF party.
Two ousted ZANU-PF Youth League leaders, Kudzanai Chipanga and
Innocent Hamandishe, who were both allied to G-40, were also ordered to
be detained until Dec. 8. Some supporters of new president Emmerson
Mnangagwa have called for unspecified action against G40 but Mnangagwa
has urged citizens not to undertake any form of “vengeful retribution”.
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