3-months ultimatum to looters to return stolen funds-Zimbabwean President

Zimbabwe’s new President Emmerson Mnangagwa, has opened a three-month amnesty window for the return of public funds illegally stashed abroad by individuals and companies.

Mnangagwa in a statement Tuesday said that upon the expiration of the amnesty at end of February 2018, the government will arrest and prosecute those who would have failed to comply.

The country’s former finance minister Ignatius Chombo, was on Monday charged with three counts of corruption in offences that allegedly took place two decades ago. He was denied bail on Monday and will remain in custody until his case is heard on December 8.  Chombo, who faces charges including trying to defraud the central bank, was detained after the military seized power in “Operation Restore Legacy”, which it said was meant to remove “criminals” around former president Robert Mugabe.

His lawyer, Lovemore Madhuku, told reporters that he would appeal the magistrate’s ruling in the High Court on Tuesday.  “We are hopeful that the High Court will show independence,” Madhuku said.  The magistrate who detained Chombo said the former minister could abscond, influence state witnesses or be the target of a mob attack over the allegations that he abused his position.

Chombo, who was appointed finance minister in October, was among members of the G40 political faction allied to Mugabe and his wife, Grace, who were also expelled from the ruling ZANU-PF party.

Two ousted ZANU-PF Youth League leaders, Kudzanai Chipanga and Innocent Hamandishe, who were both allied to G-40, were also ordered to be detained until Dec. 8.  Some supporters of new president Emmerson Mnangagwa have called for unspecified action against G40 but Mnangagwa has urged citizens not to undertake any form of “vengeful retribution”.