Gold Mafia: Zimbabwe government responds to investigations after three weeks

Three weeks after the first episode of a four-part investigation of gold smuggling and money laundering in Zimbabwe by the investigative unit of Al Jazeera, the Zimbabwean government has eventually issued a statement saying it has taken note of the serious allegations in the video and has ordered investigations – the second episode was released last week.

Al Jazeera has announced the third episode will be released Thursday April 6, 2023.

In the undercover investigation, Zimbabwe government officials and employees were secretly recorded facilitating gold smuggling and money laundering.

According to the statement, “Government takes the allegations raised in the documentary seriously, and has directed relevant organs to institute investigations into the issue raised. Any person found to have engaged in acts of corruption, fraud or any form of crime, will face the full wrath of the law.”

It added that the government was dedicated to upholding national and international law, and that “boastful behaviour and name-dropping by some personalities featured in the documentary, seeking personal gain and glory, should never be taken as an enunciation of Government Policy”.

Among prominent government officials caught on camera is the Presidential Envoy and Ambassador-at-Large, self-styled prophet Uebert Angel with his assistant, Rikki Doolan, assuring undercover reporters posing as Chinese criminals that he could launder $1.2 billion for them using his diplomatic red tape.

Doolan, who is an assistant to Angel at his Spirit Embassy church was recorded asking for $200,000 facilitation fee to see the Zimbabwean president, Emmerson Mnangagwa.