Al Jazeera has just issued a statement to journalists saying its Zimbabwe gold corruption investigation has been put on hold for now.
“The report we were planning to release will no longer be released this morning," it said. “Bear with us while a new release time is arranged."
Al Jazeera on Thursday said it had put a pause on a broadcast of a four-part investigation into official corruption in Zimbabwe without giving reasons.
The first episode of Gold Mafia, a two-year investigation by the Qatar based news network, had been advertised for 12PM CAT on Thursday. Other episodes were to follow on March 9, 16 and 23.
Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) presenter Godfrey Gwenje (pictured) says renowned investigative journalist Hopewell Chin’ono is violating the Patriotic Law.
“@daddyhope behind so called Al Jareera documentary. After the patriotic Act was effected, he knows it’s a crime to wilfully damage the sovereignty & national interest of Zimbabwe.
“In order to pursue his agenda he work covertly with hostile journalists on the purported documentary,” he says. In a brief statement, 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."
A statement released ahead of the planned first broadcast said the investigation was carried out by undercover journalists from Al Jazeera's Investigative Unit who infiltrated rival gangs that control Africa's gold.
"Criminal networks turn dirty cash into gold, which is sold around the world. The investigation leads to the highest offices of state in southern Africa," Al Jazeera teased.
Through thousands of confidential documents and exclusive interviews with whistleblowers from within the criminal underworld, investigators obtain the blueprints of billion-dollar money laundering operations that service the political elite.
Undercover reporters pose as criminals with over a billion dollars of black money that needs to be cleaned. The team is led by a fictitious Mr Stanley, a Chinese gangster with links to the Triads. His undercover reporters befriend members of rival gold mafia gangs
“It is in the national interest that the patriotic act be upheld against @daddyhope after realisation that he is behind the so called Aljezeeera documentary meant to damage the sovereignty and national interest of Zimbabwe @PoliceZimbabwe action should be taken,” says Mandipaka.
This comes after Aljazeera said it is producing a documentary exposing rampant corruption within the President Emmerson Mnangagwa led party and government.
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