Minister Mpofu is Mugabe’s ‘ever obedient son’

Documents being produced in court in the diamond mining scandal involving Canadile Miners have shown that Mines Minister Obert Mpofu signs off his correspondence to Robert Mugabe by saying “your ever obedient son”.

Last week Canadile Miners deputy chairman Lovemore Kurotwi and five Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation (ZMDC) officials were arrested on allegations of fraud and ‘misrepresenting’ to the government that the firm had the capacity to fund its mining operations at Chiadzwa.

The court documents show minutes of meetings were Kurotwi accused Minister Mpofu in front of Mugabe of soliciting bribes. The 86 year old Zanu PF dictator is said to have been stunned by the accusations. It is now likely Kurotwi’s arrest could have been caused by the Minister in retaliation.

Mpofu is said to have told ZMDC board members how Kurotwi had made the bribery allegations against him in front of Mugabe. According to Mpofu, Kurotwi also alleged the Minister was being a stumbling block to the setting up of the Zimbabwe Diamond Technology Centre.

Mugabe who is thought to be knee deep in the corruption in the diamond industry himself apparently did not act on Kurotwi’s claims but instead turned against the Canadile and Core Mining executive and questioned him over his company’s shareholders and how he had obtained 46% in Core Mining.

After that meeting Mugabe ordered an internal ZMDC investigation which led to the arrest of Kurotwi and five ZMDC officials.