The much-awaited four-part exclusive investigative documentary by international news network Al Jazeera has been put on hold.
Al Jazeera did not give any reasons as to the delay of the film which was supposed to have been aired today.
In a statement to journalists, Al Jazeera said:
“The report we were planning to release will no longer be released this morning (March 2).
“Bear with us while a new release time is arranged.”
The documentary was secretly filmed by Aljazeera’s undercover journalists for two years.
The undercover journalists infiltrated rival gangs that control Africa’s gold industry dealings.
The first episode of the four-part film, exposes how criminal networks turn dirty cash into gold, which is sold around the world.
It reveals the complicity of world financial institutions, regulators and governments in the criminality.
President Mnangagwa’s envoy and self-styled cleric Uebert Angel who is also Zimbabwe’s ambassador-at-large to 85 countries, leaks information on how he smuggles money and even people to other countries using his diplomatic passport.
Again, Zimbabwean gold dealer Ewan Macmillan also talks of how he smuggles gold using private planes with the help of politicians including the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) governor John Mangudya.
RBZ is exposed as Southern Africa’s biggest laundromat and the gold mafia is employed by government officials to export gold on their behalf.
Information ministry permanent secretary Nick Mangwana tried to downplay the documentary by admitting that corruption exists in Zimbabwe.
“Facts: Is there any corruption in Zimbabwe? Yes. “Is there smuggling of minerals and forex out of the country? Yes
“Is there money laundering in Zimbabwe? Yes (including by NGOs). “Is the government fully committed to getting rid of all the above ills? That is a fact,” Mangwana posted on his Twitter.
Meanwhile Zimbabwe is ranked 157 least corrupt nations out of 180 countries and has a score of 23 points out of 100 according to the 2022 Corruption Perceptions Index according to Transparency International.
