ZANU PF activist charged over multimillion dollar farm fraud
2010 07 08
http://www.swradioafrica.com/news080710/activist080710.htm
SW Radio Africa news – The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe
By Alex Bell
08 July 2010
Notorious ZANU PF activist Themba Mliswa has this week been charged with fraudulently acquiring assets worth US$ 25 million from two white farmers, in one of the first legal cases against a beneficiary of unlawful land acquisition.
Mliswa’s arrest and the subsequent charges brought against him are widely believed to be connected a public clash with powerful Police Commissioner General Augustine Chihuri. Mliswa, a close relative of ZANU PF politburo member and Presidential Affairs Minister Didymus Mutasa, last week attacked Chihuri in newspapers, labeling the police chief as one of the most corrupt men. This as the pair fought over shares in a white-owned car firm that the police say Mliswa attempted to acquire fraudulently.
Mliswa was last week arrested over the car firm shares said to be worth around US$ 1 million. He was released on Monday only to be re-arrested the same day on fresh charges of fraud allegedly committed between 2004 and 2006. A bail hearing was expected on Thursday but the state had indicated that it would oppose the application, arguing Mliswa was a flight risk.
Prosecutors allege Mliswa approached Karoi farmer Petros Jacobs Van De Merwe whose land was gazetted for acquisition in June 2004 and offered to help the farmer auction his equipment. Van De Merwe had been given until October of the same year to wind down operations on the farm, but Mliswa claimed authorities would not allow him to sell his equipment. The state claims Mliswa then told the farmer he was “connected to influential people” and could help dispose of the equipment for a 10% commission.
Mliswa allegedly then sold the property, which included a large herd of cattle, vehicles, tractors and other equipment, altogether valued at US$ 3.6 million. The profits he then apparently pocketed, turning himself into an instant millionaire.
Mliswa is also accused of approaching Kwekwe farmer, Nico Van Rensburg whose farm had also been gazetted for acquisition and offered to “protect” him. The farmer was made to sign an agreement which claimed the property had been sold to Mliswa in the vain hope this would stave-off acquisition.
The case has exposed the kind of corruption at the heart of the land reform programme, which has seen the destruction of Zimbabwe’s agricultural sector. Mliswa is not the only ZANU PF top dog to benefit from the land grab scheme in such a corrupt way.
Ironically it was Didymus Mutasa, who is currently believed to be behind the fresh wave of farm attacks across Manicaland province, who rushed to Mlsiwa’s rescue last week. Mliswa was arrested alongside Mutasa’s son, Martin, in connection with trying to seize shareholding worth US$ 1 million from a company owned by white businessman Paul Westwood. The incident saw the involvement of new co-Home Affairs Minister Theresa Makone. State media reported that Makone and Mutasa visited Mbare, Matapi and Stodart police stations in Harare last week to demand the release of Mutasa’s son.
Makone told SW Radio Africa this week that Mutasa approached her seeking help to locate his son who had been arrested the day before.
“Mutasa did not come to ask for assistance to have his son removed from police detention. He came to ask for assistance to locate his son. So it was in that spirit that as co-Home Affairs Minister I actually went about locating the son of the Minister,” Makone said.
Commentator Tanonoka Whande on Thursday lashed out at Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s for allowing a member of his party to flaunt rule of law in such a way. He criticised the efforts to release Mutasa’s son, when rights activist Farai Maguwu is still behind bars, one month since his controversial arrest. Whande accused the Prime Minister of being “out of touch with the people who put their faith and confidence in his promises of change.” Whande added that the Prime Minister should be going out