Angel, the leader of Spirit Embassy Church, was recently
fingered in a yet to be released graft exposé as part of a gang that has been
allegedly milking the country’s resources using their links in government and
political circles.
The British-Zimbabwean televangelist was implicated in
grand theft and looting by Qatar-based international news channel, Al Jazeera,
in a documentary expected to be released today.
He was named alongside local gold dealer Ewan MacMillan,
who is also reportedly under investigation by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe
(RBZ) Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU).
The Al Jazeera documentary, titled Unveiling Zimbabwe’s
Dark Secrets: Al Jazeera Exposes Looting, Plunder and Money Laundering, has
shaken authorities as it exposes the role played by senior government officials
and their cronies in the country’s endemic corruption.
The first of the four-part documentary is expected to be
aired tonight on Al Jazeera.
In a letter addressed to principal officers and compliance
officers of insurance companies, brokers and reinsurers dated March 21, 2023,
Insurance and Pensions Commission (Ipec) chairperson Grace Muradzikwa exposed
the secret government probe into Angel and MacMillan’s financil affairs.
“The Ipec is required in terms of the Money Laundering and
Proceeds of Crime (MLPC) Act (Chapter 9:24) to co-ordinate with the (Reserve
Bank of Zimbabwe’s) Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) in the assessment of
money-laundering and terrorist financing risks to which the country is
exposed,” Muradzikwa said.
“Pursuant to the above, we are in receipt of an urgent
communication from the FIU requesting all industry players to assist with
information (i) on insurance products (ii) insured assets held or disposed (of)
by the above individuals (Angel and MacMillan) directly or indirectly through
companies or trusts during the period January 1, 2020 to March 21, 2023.
“You are, therefore, required to submit your responses
within 48 hours, latest by mid-day Thursday (today). The information being
requested is confidential, in terms of section 31 of the MLPC Act and,
therefore, should be regarded as such.”
Early this month, RBZ governor John Mangudya hinted at the
probe when reacting to the Al Jazeera exposé, saying “was I supposed to wait”
to investigate money-laundering allegations, “waiting for what when the house
is burning”.
A trailer released by Al Jazeera exposes Angel as one of
the key figures in looting, money-laundering and plunder.
In another trailer, MacMillan refers to one comrade
Chiwenga — believed to be Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga — as a
“dunderhead”, and says they control 90% of the Zimbabwe government.
Government information officers have reportedly been at
sixes and sevens as to how to deal with the exposé.
Information and Publicity ministry secretary Ndavaningi
Mangwana admitted that there was corruption in the country and claimed
authorities were trying to fight graft in what was seen as an attempt to
pre-empt the documentary. The country has previously been ranked as one of the
most corrupt nations by anti-corruption watchdogs.
On Monday, former Finance minister Tendai Biti said the
country was losing over US$2 billion every year to illicit financial flows and
corruption.
“What we are losing in terms of illicit financial flows is
actually more than what we are getting in terms of diaspora remittances US$1
billion, what we are getting in terms of foreign aid or overseas development
assistance and what we are getting in terms of foreign investment which is
around US$200 million,” Biti said in Parliament on Monday.
“The mining sector is bleeding. It is accounting for
US$6/US$7 billion a year, yet billions are getting out of our country. We have
got 65 minerals, but they are not benefiting our country. Most of the mining
model in Zimbabwe is extractive. You come in, you loot and you get out, leaving
total destruction, unemployment and so forth.”
Biti added: “We are now losing possibly US$2 billion on
lithium alone. As I am talking to you right now, the price of lithium is US$80
000 a tonne. That is the new black gold and we have nothing to show for it.
“I urge that the authorities come up with legislation on
illicit financial flows and push the United Nations to come up with an
international convention that deals with illicit financial flows.” Newsday
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