Mangudya Says He Has "Nothing Against" Al Jazeera
Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) Governor John Mangudya said that he has no problem with Qatar-based broadcaster, Al Jazeera, following the release of snippets of a documentary exposing alleged money laundering involving the country’s gold.
Al Jazeera recently set the cat among the pigeons by announcing that it will release a four-part documentary titled: “Gold Mafia” exposing how Zimbabwe’s gold is used to launder money by top ZANU PF and RBZ officials.
On Monday, Mangudya issued a statement denying claims that the central bank is involved in money laundering, describing the allegations as scurrilous and malicious.
Speaking during a breakfast meeting in Harare, Mangudya said he has “nothing against” Al Jazeera. Said Mangudya:
That is why I said we don’t know the reasons why those people who were interviewed told Al Jazeera what they did. I have nothing against Al Jazeera.
It was those people who were interviewed, who were volunteering, who were trying to be big people in talking about Zimbabwe, that this is a place where you can launder your funds.
Mangudya said the allegations of money laundering through the RBZ cannot go unchallenged. He said:
The snippets for the documentary that were coming are not rumours or grapevine.
When something like that is advertised, I will not sit down and wait when someone is demonising the central bank and Government of Zimbabwe. I am the custodian of the financial system in this country.
Money laundering is serious. Even when people say I responded fast or I was supposed to wait, wait for what when the house is burning?
You are told that there is an allegation of money laundering in your country and the Reserve Bank is the one cleaning it and you sleep comfortably waiting, that’s not acceptable. We are a central bank that has its own integrity.
We were just removed from the FATF (Financial Action Task Force) grey list which is about money laundering and counter financing terrorism because we worked very hard for it, then someone is trying to put a knife in us for whatever reasons.
According to NewsDay, Zimbabwe was removed from the grey list in March 2022, after being placed on the list in 2019.
More: Pindula News
