One of Zimbabwe’s most influential diplomats, Uebert Angel, offered to use his status to launder millions of dollars through a gold-smuggling scheme, during an undercover operation by Al Jazeera’s Investigative Unit (I-Unit).
Angel, appointed ambassador-at-large and a presidential envoy by Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa in March 2021, told reporters he would be able to carry large volumes of dirty cash into the country using his diplomatic status.
The Al Jazeera documentary, titled Unveiling Zimbabwe's Dark Secrets: Al Jazeera Exposes Looting, Plunder and Money Laundering, has shaken authorities as it exposes the role played by senior government officials and their cronies in the country's endemic corruption.
The first of the four-part documentary is expected to be aired tonight on Al Jazeera.
In a letter addressed to principal officers and compliance officers of insurance companies, brokers and reinsurers dated March 21, 2023, Insurance and Pensions Commission (Ipec) chairperson Grace Muradzikwa exposed the secret government probe into Angel and MacMillan's financil affairs.
Pursuant to the above, we are in receipt of an urgent communication from the FIU requesting all industry players to assist with information (i) on insurance products (ii) insured assets held or disposed (of) by the above individuals (Angel and MacMillan) directly or indirectly through companies or trusts during the period January 1, 2020 to March 21, 2023.
You are, therefore, required to submit your responses within 48 hours, latest by mid-day Thursday (today). The information being requested is confidential, in terms of section 31 of the MLPC Act and, therefore, should be regarded as such."
Early this month, RBZ governor John Mangudya hinted at the probe when reacting to the Al Jazeera exposé, saying "was I supposed to wait" to investigate money-laundering allegations, "waiting for what when the house is burning".
A trailer released by Al Jazeera exposes Angel as one of the key figures in looting, money-laundering and plunder.
The 44-year-old, who claims to be a prophet and heads a congregation — the Good News Church — with branches in 15 countries, said he would facilitate a scheme through which unaccounted cash could be exchanged for Zimbabwe’s gold. Recipients of the gold could then sell the precious metal for legitimate money, effectively turning their cash clean.
“You want gold, gold we can do it right now, we can make the call right now, and it’s done,” Angel told Al Jazeera’s reporters. “It will land in Zimbabwe — Zimbabwe can’t touch it too until I get to my house. So, there can be a diplomatic plan.”
“So, it is a very, very easy thing,” he said.
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