Businessman Mutumwa Mawere The government led by Chinamasa took over Maweres empire in 2004 claiming he was heavily indebted to the state and had externalised huge sums of foreign currency in the process. A controversial law allowing the government to take over the business empire was crafted and Mawere was declared a specified person.
Although Mawere was de-specified last year, a move he hoped would pave the way for a return of his companies, reports suggest Chinamasa and Defence Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa are vigorously blocking this. Chinamasa told the committee he was not consulted by the Home Affairs Ministry on the decision to de-specify Mawere, claiming: I am aware that he externalised a lot of funds.
Speaking to SW Radio Africa on Tuesday, Mawere said Chinamasa had lied under oath when he said the government owned 100 percent of SMM. He argued the government through AMG Global nominees Private Limited had sought to negotiate and acquire certain rights given to T&N plc, the previous owner of SMM Holdings Limited.
Mawere said the government through AMG then approached the courts in the UK in an attempt to change the shareholding structure of the UK Company, but the application was dismissed with costs. Having gone through a court process I am baffled by this statement from the Minister. They were party to the litigation. They were represented by UK lawyers and the court made a determination, he said.
How does Mawere respond to claims that he was heavily indebted to the state and this was the reason government took over his companies? If you are indebted to a creditor, why pass a new law? he asked. He was referring to the State- Indebted Insolvency Companies Act, the Reconstruction of State-Indebted Insolvent Companies Act and the Prevention of Corruption Act used to fraudulently wrest his companies from him. Without this law what does the Minister have? he asked.
Meanwhile Chinamasa has revealed that the struggling Shabanie and Mashaba Mines will only be sold to Chinese investors. A baffled Mawere questioned why someone from a party that professes to stand for the total empowerment of black people would want the Chinese to have exclusivity to wrestle control of an asset belonging to a black person. The same cannot happen in China, he said.
What about talk that Mnangagwa and Chinamasa are the two main stumbling blocks to him getting his empire back? The businessman told us can you imagine, as you are alleging, a minister of Defence, instead of defending the country, reducing himself to a small corner with the Minister of Justice, using the law to achieve improper ends against a defenceless individual.
Post published in: News