Zimbabwe’s Mugabe summoned over alleged diamond looting

Zimbabwe's Mugabe summoned over alleged diamond looting | iNFOnews.ca
FILE - In this Oct. 3, 2017 file photo, Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe during a meeting with South African President Jacob Zuma at the Presidential Guesthouse in Pretoria, South Africa. A Zimbabwean parliamentary committee on Friday April 20, 2018, as summoned former leader Robert Mugabe to explain past comments on alleged diamond looting, the first time a public institution has called him to account for such claims made during his 37-year rule.(AP Photo/Themba Hadebe, FILE)

HARARE, Zimbabwe – A Zimbabwean parliamentary committee is summoning former leader Robert Mugabe to appear before it over alleged diamond looting during his rule.

Mugabe, who resigned in November following a military intervention, has said $15 billion worth of diamonds were looted from fields in the country’s east. He later said he had no basis for that figure.

But parliamentary committee chairman Temba Mliswa tells The Associated Press the 94-year-old still should appear on May 9 to explain his statements.

This is the first time a public institution has summoned Mugabe to account for the alleged looting. Zimbabwe security agencies were involved in the mining with Chinese firms until the government cancelled all diamond mining licenses there in 2016.

Mliswa says parliament “very soon” will dispatch an official letter for Mugabe to attend.

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