Mauritius Accused of Laundering Money from the Diamond Mines of Robert Mugabe

Global Witness, a non-governmental organization based in London, Maurice would be one of the offshore financial centers that serves as a screen Zimbabwean President to channel money from the sale of diamonds.

In an article entitled Dont't let Mubage be your Valentine foreword to the report posted on its website, Global Witness is a determination of the structures set up in various tax havens by Robert Mugabe. Just as the lack of transparency regarding the identity of people who run two of the largest companies, Anjin Investments and Mbada Diamonds, engaged in the business of diamonds and opacity on the income earned in the mines of the region of Marange.

Global Witness also mentions his fears that the money from the sale of these diamonds, also allow Zimbabwean leaders to conduct expensive lifestyle, would finance most loyal supporters of the party of Robert Mugabe, ZANU- PF for elections announced for this year.

The NGO found to have conducted a survey which shows that the ill-gotten money power is directed to Mauritius, Hong Kong and the BVI.

Global Witness is concerned that money from the sale of diamonds from being used, unfortunately, not to rebuild the country whose economic situation is catastrophic. She emphasizes that it is mostly members of the bodyguard of Zimbabwean President, whose police chief as well as leaders of the army and Defense Ministry, are members of management committees of diamond mines.

The NGOs also condemned the Kimberley Process for allowing the sale of diamonds from Zimbabwe. This, while it is common knowledge that the army and security forces of Robert Mugabe killed miners in 2008 with heavy weapons and helicopters to take ownership of mines Marange.

The Global Witness report reveals qu'Anjin Investments presents itself as the largest diamond company and it is in fact a joint venture between an obscure company called Matt Bronze Zimbabwean and a Chinese construction company. Its directors are, among others, the chief of staff of Zimbabwe Ministry of Defence, police commissioners, the director of publications of Zanu-PF and a former army colonel denounced by Human Rights Watch for violence against civilians.

The other firm in the index, Mbada Diamonds, has a structure for the less complex. Fifty percent of its shares are held in the Marange Resources Ltd., which itself owns 100% in Zimbabwe Minerals Development Corporation. 
The other half of Mbada Diamonds is through Grandwell Mauritius Ltd which was established by a confetti of companies based in South Africa, Hong Kong and the BVI.

This structure, says Global Witness, is neither more nor less than a way to preserve the identity of those who pull the strings in the background. Best of all, one of the directors of the subsidiary of one of these companies owns 25% of the shareholding is a former witness in the trial against the former opposition leader Morgan Tsvangarai for treason ....This witness, Robert Mhlanga, is a former colonel in the Air Force who was also the Chief of Staff of the National Command Center responsible for announcing the results of disputed presidential elections of 2002 ...

Global Witness, for there to be more transparency around the diamond business, the Zimbabwean government of national unity must pass a law prohibiting members of the security forces to serve on the board of directors of mining companies.

An audit of mines in the area allocated Marange is also recommended because the allocation procedure was done at the expense of the interests of the Zimbabwean people.