Zimbabweans have expressed outrage over an Al-Jazeera documentary series chronicling how a criminal syndicate linked to President Emmerson Mnangagwa, is allegedly laundering money and smuggling gold out of the country to Dubai.
Mnangagwa’s ambassador-at-large, Ubert Angel, boasted to the broadcaster’s undercover journalists and offered to use his diplomatic status to launder millions of U.S. dollars through a gold-smuggling scheme.
He is quoted in the documentary saying, “You want gold, gold we can do it right now, we can make the call right now, and it’s done… It will land in Zimbabwe — Zimbabwe can’t touch it too until I get to my house. So, there can be a diplomatic plan.”
Several other gold dealers appear in the sting operation.
The Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe announced Wednesday that it is investigating Angel and his business associate, Ewan MacMillan.
Zimbabwe’s insurance authority says the intelligence unit of the central bank is seeking information about assets of Uebert Angel, who is featuring prominently in a hard-hitting Al Jazeera documentary exposing gold smuggling scams, involving some state officials.
In a statement, the Insurance and Pensions Commission said they need information about assets belonging to Eubert Mudzanire (alias Eubert Angel) and one Ewan MacMillan for conducting thorough investigations in terms of the Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Act (MLPCA).
The Commission said it is required by the law to “coordinate with Financial Intelligence Unit in the assessment of the money laundering and terrorist financing risks to which the country is exposed.”
Angel is the ambassador at Large for Europe and Americas and also President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s special envoy.
The statement signed by commissioner Grace Muradzikwa, reads in part, “… We are in receipt of an urgent communication from the FIU requesting all industry players to assist with information on insurance products, insured assets held or disposed by these individuals directly or indirectly through companies or trusts during the period I January 2020 and 21 March 2023 … The information being requested is confidential in terms of section 31 of the MLPC Act and therefore should be regarded as such.”
Angel was not responding to calls on his mobile phone while MacMillan was unreachable.