Police have launched a massive manhunt for three Bulawayo
businesspeople on allegations of externalising more than $7,3 million to
Botswana this year.
The probe is part of stern efforts to deal with the current
liquidity and cash crisis. The three have been identified as Delny Deanna
Ashley (41), Farid Shahadat (45) and Ryan Gregory Joseph (29).
National police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Paul
Nyathi said the three were wanted for contravening Section 8(1) paragraph (b)
of the Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Act, Chapter 9:24.
“During the period between 14 January 2017 to 7 April 2017,
the suspect Delny Deanna Ashley Davies, on her own personal capacity and
through other couriers who are all Zimbabwean passport holders crossed into
Botswana with large amounts of cash and deposited a total of $5 819 106, R500
100, EUR39 500 into her three foreign accounts, namely Stanbic Bank (South
African rand) account number 9060001687994, Stanbic Bank (Euro) account number
9060002320067 and Stanbic Bank (United States dollar) account number
9060001680000 and 9060002620435 without the approval of the Reserve Bank of
Zimbabwe,” he said.
Chief Supt Nyathi said during the period between February
23 and April 11 this year, Shahadat, who is the director of a gold mining and
milling company, Yakuts Marketing (Pvt) Ltd in Bulawayo, with the help of other
couriers crossed into Botswana with large amounts of money.
They deposited a total of $1 197 080 into his three foreign
bank accounts — Stanbic Bank account number 906 000 257 2465, Stanbic Bank (906
000 257 2504) and Capital Bank (000 370 300 8498) — without the approval of the
Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe.
“On 12 and 13 April 2017, Ryan Gregory Joseph deposited a
total of $331 700 into his personal foreign Stanbic Bank Account number 906 000
162 9595 in Botswana without the approval of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe. The
three suspects externalised a total amount of $7 347 886,” Chief Supt Nyathi
said.
He said their whereabouts were still not known and he
appealed to anyone with information that might assist with investigations to
contact Chief
Superintendent Nyamupaguma on 0716 800 105 or 0712 412 034,
CID Commercial Crimes Division northern region on (04) 771 994 or the national
complaints desk on (04) 703631.
“The last known address for Davies is number 23 Kendemere
Road, Morningside in Bulawayo, for Shahadat it’s number 4 Baxendale Avenue,
Kumalo in Bulawayo and for Joseph it’s Number 78 Annold Way, Burnside,
Bulawayo,” Chief Supt Nyathi said.
The latest development comes after Cabinet recently
directed Government officials to take corruption, illicit financial flows and
underground foreign exchange dealings head-on as part of stern efforts to deal
with the current liquidity and cash crisis.
This comes after reports that Zimbabwe’s foreign currency
shortages were worsening due to massive capital flight amid indications
corporates and business tycoons have externalised $3 billion between 2015 and
June 2017 mainly to Botswana, Mauritius and the Far East, a development
currently under intense investigation. Herald
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