(Reuters) - Zimbabwe’s parliament on Monday backed down
from its demand for former president Robert Mugabe to answer questions related
to diamond mining operations during his time in office.
In what would have been his first public appearance since
being ousted in a de facto military coup in November, parliament had wanted to
question Mugabe about his pronouncements that the state had been deprived of at
least $15 billion in revenue by mining companies operating in the eastern
Marange gem fields.
Mugabe had twice failed to appear before the mines
committee of parliament and was given a final chance to do so on Monday, but
the committee said in a statement it had now recused the 94-year-old former
leader after consultations with the Speaker.
The committee did not give any more details.
A parliament official privy to the issue had told Reuters
in May that it was unlikely Mugabe would appear before the committee because
this was opposed by influential politicians in President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s
ruling ZANU-PF party.
Mugabe said in March 2016 the country was robbed of wealth
by diamond companies including joint ventures between Chinese companies and the
army, police and intelligence services. He later expelled those firms last year
and replaced them with a state-owned diamond company.
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