Diamond geezer poisoned by party fatcats?

e knowledge of a syndicate involved in smuggling diamonds and other precious minerals out of the country. He was arrested early this year for attempting to bribe immigration officials with US$700 meant for the release of a Lebanese woman, Carole Georges El Martini, who had been caught trying to smuggle 10 000 carats of diamonds out of Zimbabwe.
It is suspected that the arrest was as a result of a tip-off from a rival group, allegedly linked to Emmerson Mnangagwa, Rural and Infrastructure Development minister and close confidante of President Robert Mugabe. El Martini was later released on a $Z21 million fine and has since fled Zimbabwe.
However, weeks of investigations have revealed a link to the poisoning of the late Nhara by senior Zanu (PF) and government officials. Nhara, dubbed the ‘Diamond Geezer’ following his arrest, was out on bail after being charged with attempting to smuggle diamonds.
According to a close family relative working as a senior diplomat at Zimbabwe’s mission in South Africa who cannot be revealed for security reasons, an independent post mortem report showed that Nhara’s cause of death was from neurotoxin poisoning.
Government reports have suggested that Nhara, who passed away at St Annes Hospital in Harare, was suffering from a kidney ailment.
“The post mortem report that we saw from the pathologist, which was a top secret document, reveals that my cousin died from chemical poisoning,” the relative, who was part of a small group of relatives that was made to make arrangements for the funeral together with Central Intelligence Organisation officials said.
“I believe this arrangement was meant to cover for those involved in the murder of William,” he added.
Our investigations also reveal that Nhara, 47 at the time of his death, was working as a front for a syndicate linked to retired army-generals Solomon Mujuru and Claudius Makova when he was arrested at the Harare International Airport.
Zimbabwe Defence Industries (ZDI) boss and former army general Arnold Tshinga Dube’s son Mthulisi has also been involved in diamond dealings on behalf of his father.
Among others who are involved in illegal diamond mining are General Mujuru with wife, vice-president Joice Mujuru, government minister Oppah Muchinguri, and the First Lady, Grace Mugabe.
George Charamba, the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Information and Publicity was the only high-ranking government and Zanu (PF) official who attended the burial.
According to central bank governor Gideon Gono, Zimbabwe is losing US$40m to US$50m every week through the smuggling of precious minerals. A Harare magistrate and seven others were recently nabbed in the western town of Mhangura where they were allegedly panning for gold.
Gold deliveries in 2006 were 10.96 tons, down from 13.45 tons, owing to a combination of factors, including a lack of equipment, reduced exploration and illegal trading and smuggling.
In January, authorities vowed to press on with a crackdown on illegal gold and diamond miners. About 31 509 people have been arrested since November. One miner died in the crackdown. Police have recovered 3.6kg of gold and 7 868 diamonds since the blitz was launched.