Tino Kadewere

BY HENRY MHARA

WARRIORS hotshot Tino Kadewere has been equated to Arsenal superstar Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang by opposition defenders in the French Ligue 2, who predict a glorious future for one of the most sought-after player in the world currently.

The 24-year-old former Harare City striker is hot property across Europe after his impressive goal-scoring record this season for Le Havre, where he has netted an impressive 18 goals in 20 games as well as providing four assists.

Reports suggest that top European teams are jostling for the striker, with French Ligue 1 side Lyon said to be leading the race for his signature.

His expected move has dominated the headlines across France since the player transfer window opened at the start of the year.

Opposition defenders in the Ligue 2 fear him, and they are not surprised by the publicity and interest that Kadewere is attracting at the moment.

They believe that he is so good he is on the same level with Arsenal striker Aubameyang.

“He has qualities in all areas. Interesting size, fast, powerful, good head, technically skilful and decisive,” AC Ajaccio defender Jérémy Choplin said.

“Can he adapt quickly to the next level? I think so. He knows how to participate in the game in addition to going fast and scoring goals. He is like Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, pure class and speed.”

Choplin is not the only defender who has been impressed by Kadewere, as Castelroussin Yannick Mbone, who plays for Châteauroux, is also drooling about the striker.

“Players like that, who are constantly on the move, force you to read the game, to constantly anticipate. You will have a difficult evening marking him,” Mbone said.

Aubameyang is one of the best strikers in the world, who is currently second on the goal scoring list in the English Premier League (EPL) behind Leicester City forward Jamie Vardy.

Kadewere will relish playing in the EPL, widely regarded as the best league in the world.

EPL teams including Tottenham, Aston Villa, Newcastle, Norwich, Bournemouth and Southampton are all rumoured to be interested in his services.

Turkish giants Galatasaray and Besiktas, and Spanish league side Real Valladolid are some of the major clubs that have also reportedly inquired about Kadewere, while Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt have also joined the race.

But it is French giants Lyon who are said to be leading the race for his signature and have already made formal contact with Le Havre.

Reports suggest that Lyon tabled a £7 million offer earlier this week, which was rebuffed, with Le Havre thought to be holding out for £15 million for their star.

Kadewere, who has a running contract with Le Havre until 2022, has said he would want to move in the current window, with the EPL being his preferred destination.

“Like everyone, well, I think England is the most beautiful destination for a footballer today. But I’m not saying no to France. The idea is simply to join a top European club,” he said.

Le Havre president Vincent Volpe is also reportedly keen on selling his most prized asset to England, where he is assured of huge profits.

Le Havre have a rich history of producing world-class players, having developed the likes of Paul Pogba, Dmitri Payet and Lassana Diarra, and Kadewere is tipped to become the next player to play at the highest level.

Lee McHoney

BY FREEMAN MAKOPA

AWARD-WINNING Afro-fusion songbird Linda Nyauchi, popularly known as Lee McHoney in musical circles, has hogged the limelight through her tracks Uthando and Omthandayo and at one time worked with notable local musicians such as Jah Prayzah as a backing vocalist on the song Chipo from the album Kutonga Kwaro.

In a wide-ranging interview with NewsDay Weekender Life & Style yesterday, McHoney said she had been a victim of unwelcome sexual advances in the industry.

“Well, I have been a victim of advances, but I have never fallen for it. It’s annoying when people get your hopes high saying that they want to help sponsor your career, but with a hidden agenda,” she said.

McHoney believes such behaviour has affected many female artistes in their bid to achieve their dreams in the music industry.

Music journey

The songbird discovered her gift when she was still seven and has, over the years, drawn inspiration from the late Chiwoniso Maraire.

She, however, indicated that she was slowly gravitating towards acting.

“Now, I am really shifting into acting, but more like expanding into it. Music will always be my first love, but I’m willing to explore other areas of art to exercise my artistic nature. My music has been received better than I expected, being an artiste from Matabeleland, it’s hard to break national barriers,” she said.

McHoney also hinted on releasing new projects this year.

“I did not drop any new projects at the end of 2019, but 2020 looks bright and I’m ready to hit the studio again and I’m looking forward to working on notable projects,” she said.

Fame

McHoney is considered one of the fastest rising artistes from Bulawayo, although she felt she was yet to reach celebrity status.

“I worked hard to achieve my goals and released an album titled Sana last year. I feel that’s when people started paying attention. I’m not sure if I have reached celebrity status yet, but I’m working towards it,” she said.

Darkest moments

“My darkest moment in life was when I lost my mother in 2015 to cancer. It was so heart-breaking. I had never gone through anything like that in my life and I was scared,” she said.

“I like hanging out at the park, watching nature. My favourite food would be pizza,” she said.

“If I wasn’t a musician, I’d probably be a full-time actress or a TV presenter. Art has always been part of me, even though I am a qualified computer engineer, the field never worked for me,” she said.

BY SILAS NKALA

FORMER Vice-President Phelekezela Mphoko’s daughter, Siduduzile, has rapped the government for allegedly disrespecting and failing to honour her father despite his contribution to Zimbabwe before and after independence.

Siduduzile’s remarks came after Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Misheck Sibanda, recently disputed Mphoko’s claim of more than US$300 000 in benefits and monthly pension pay-outs.

She said Mphoko, as a former Zipra commander, former ambassador and ex-VP deserved better treatment from President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government.

“I just read an article by Misheck Sibanda about my father’s pension and besides the fact that they want to deny him what is rightfully his, in the article, he addresses my dad as Mr Mphoko,” Siduduzile wrote on her Facebook page.

“I have been asking myself why the disrespect, then I realised that addressing him as former VP Mphoko opens a can of worms because the title is stamped within the Constitution, making him entitled to his benefits. So, let’s act like he wasn’t a VP and let’s not address him as one so that we can take what is rightfully his.”

She added: “How can someone who has dedicated more than half his life to serving his country be told he is not worthy. He was appointed by a legitimate Head of State, the late (former President) Robert Mugabe (unless you don’t recognise him either) and it is also documented on every official assignment he participated in locally and internationally that he was representing his country as the VP.

“Whether you like it or not, he is former VP Mphoko. Stop disrespecting and sideling our leaders based on tribe.
His contribution to his country is as valuable as any other Zimbabwean’s. Show that you have some respect for a former leader.”

The Public Service Commission is insisting Mphoko will only be paid his pension in local currency and should not expect any other benefits.

The former VP has approached the High Court for an order to declare the withholding of his pension by government as illegal and unconstitutional.

Sibanda said it was illegal for Mphoko to claim his money in United States dollars.

Mphoko joined the civil service in October 1981 before his appointment as VP in December 2014, a position he held until he was removed from office when Mugabe was ousted in a coup in November 2017.

BY PATRICIA SIBANDA

A BULAWAYO couple has appeared in court charged with theft and money-laundering involving $500 000. They allegedly committed the offence through their EcoCash agent line which they hired out to a business operator in the city.

Fredrick Topia (40) and his wife Nyarai Magaya (32) denied the charge when they appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Lizwe Jamela on Thursday.

They were remanded out of custody to January 31.

The court was told that on an unknown date last year, Topia and Magaya registered a company, Fredloui (Pvt) Limited, for which they are co-directors and acquired an EcoCash agent line registered under the name Fredloui Investments (Pvt) Ltd.

In October 2019, the couple allegedly enlisted the services of one Peter Grassmore Mare, who is still at large, to look for a person who would use the agent line.

Mare went on to hire out the line to Moses Matsveru, although it was registered in the couple’s company name.

On November 29, 2019, Matsveru received a payment of $500 000 into his bank account. He then instructed his bank to transfer the money to the EcoCash agent line.

On the same date, Topia and Magaya blocked and replaced the EcoCash agent line, thus effectively denying Matsveru access to his money.

The court heard that the couple later met Mare in the central business district and transferred the money from the agent line in question to two EcoCash agent lines.

Topia and Magaya then went on to convert the $500 000 to US$20 210, which they later allegedly shared with Mare.

When Matsveru discovered the scam, he reported the matter to the police, leading to the couple’s arrest.

BY CLIFF CHIDUKU

WITH its economy tanking, Zimbabwe is looking to mining for salvation.

But platinum ore exports may be leaking millions of dollars in potential revenue the country needs to plug an acute shortage of foreign currency, fuel and drugs, according to local mining experts.

While accurate data is not readily available, the experts say Zimbabwe has not enjoyed the full benefit of its natural resources in part because exports are paid for without including the valuation of several other mineral elements in the platinum group of metals (PGM). Other problems include misreporting of the quantity of exports and the absence of smelters in Zimbabwe to process platinum locally.

However, the platinum producers deny illicit leakages and say they are abiding by all export regulations.

PGM contains ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, iridium and platinum. These elements tend to occur together in the same mineral deposits. Platinum is one of the top three foreign currency earners for Zimbabwe alongside gold and tobacco.

Norman Mukwakwami, an independent mineral economist, however, notes that with loopholes in platinum mining, Zimbabwe’s ambitions to raise annual mining earnings to US$12 billion by 2023 from the current US$2,9 billion appear unattainable. Zimbabwe has three PGM producers, Zimplats, Mimosa and Unki. A fourth entry, Karo Resources, which broke ground in August 2018, is eyeing to produce at least 1,4 million ounces of PGM by 2023 and has set up a base metals refinery. The Chamber of Mines said Karo Resources was still at the exploration stage.

Mukwakwami said PGM producers were capitalising on leakages in the sector, ranging from weighbridge problems to lack of smelting plants.

“It’s not realistic to achieve that feat when PGM producers are under-declaring exports,” he said.

Mukwakwami has carried out research work for civic society organisations on several issues that affect the extractive industry, including government policy, mining law, illicit financial flows and conflicts between industry and communities.

“In the past, the companies were simply not declaring the minerals that government did not know about. Since PGM deposits contain several elements, they are not individually refined in Zimbabwe as producers export semi-processed ore, matte, which still contains all minerals.

“Statistics show that of the PGMs, only exports of platinum and palladium were declared between 1990 and 1996 with rhodium being reported beginning in 1997. Exports of ruthenium and iridium were only reported beginning in 2002,” Mukwakwami said.

“Analysis of the data shows a near consistency in the amounts of each of the PGMs contained in the ore: 50% platinum, 40% palladium, 5% rhodium, 3% ruthenium and 2% iridium. It can thus be estimated that from 1990 to 1996, 17kg of rhodium was not declared in exports, while between 1990 and 2001, 342kg of ruthenium and 161kg of iridium was not declared in exports.

At today’s prices, this is $1,2 million worth of rhodium, $2,7m worth of ruthenium and $6,9m worth of iridium. This amounts to a total of $10,8m worth of PGMs that leaked out of the country over a decade.”

At the moment, Zimbabwe does not have a platinum refinery plant, therefore, PGM producers export ore concentrates.
However, Zimbabwe’s biggest PGM producer, Zimplats, is a subsidiary of the South African Implats and its exports are to its parent company, thus Implats is benefiting from the other minerals after refining them, but will not pay anything to Zimbabwe.

Since PGMs are exported in raw form, Mukwakwami says it is hard to quantify the actual prejudice.

“While it is difficult to quantify trade misinvoicing in the sector, it is clear that there are weaknesses in regulating exports; that can easily be exploited by companies. One weakness is that the average truckload of matte for export from PGM companies undergoes no independent verification of its weight or composition by government officials,” he said.

“It is MMCZ (Mineral Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe)’s responsibilty to verify these figures and their approach is to station officials at the mine’s laboratory where tests (assays) are carried out and that same official also observes the weighing of trucks at the weigh bridge. This creates loopholes as officials can be bribed, or the loading equipment and weigh bridge can be calibrated to falsify results.”

Mukwakwami said osmium provided a gap that PGM producers have been exploiting.

“Another issue is that of osmium. This is PGM contained in the exports which companies claim they have no market for and thus do not pay any royalty or tax on.”

He said the market price of osmium (US$400 per troy ounce) has not changed in recent years owing to poor demand, few uses and challenges it poses in terms of storage because of its toxic nature when it oxidises.

Mukai Mangezi, a consulting geologist with MuGre Global Mineral Exploration, said: “The best way of getting value of its mineral, especially platinum, is that Zimbabwe needs a policy shift and embrace beneficiation. It is practically difficult to account for all PGM elements when exporting ore.”

Mines deputy minister Polite Kambamura concedes that Zimbabwe is losing out from ore exports, and is pushing mining companies to beneficiate their produce.

“It is a fact that we are losing value in exporting concentrates. This is the reason why government had proposed a 15% tax on exportation of unbeneficiated platinum. This was a way of pushing companies to add value to PGM locally, thereby making sure all PGM elements are accounted for,” he said.

“We are alive to the fact that there could be ‘other’ base metals, but if we process it locally we are certain to get value. The beneficiation thrust is in line with achieving US$12 billion earnings annually by 2023.”

But MMCZ said although Zimbabwe has no PGM refineries, all ores are processed in South Africa and all elements are recovered and accounted for.

“MMCZ can confirm that refineries in South Africa are not recovering osmium from Zimplats material. To curb any leakages, MMCZ has stationed metallurgists at all PGM mines to monitor and verify production, exports and sales declarations. The monitors check the accuracy of any figures to be declared and used for invoicing by the producers,” MMCZ general manager Tongai Muzenda said.

Platinum Producers Committee chairperson Alex Mhembere, who is also Zimplats chief executive, dismissed allegations that PGM producers are under-declaring some elements in platinum ore.

“The three platinum producers in the country (Zimplats, Mimosa and Unki) are reputable organisations with linkages to leading PGM producers in the world. And contrary to the assertion, for several years now the MMCZ has permanent officers deployed at each PGM producers’ premises. These officers monitor the entire production process up to the final export invoices that are in fact issued under the MMCZ banner.

“All three platinum producers follow elaborate and internationally-accredited metal accounting systems. The systems are anchored on sub-systems of sampling, measurements and assaying by internationally-accredited laboratories through the entire value chain, including drilling and blasting, crashing and milling, flotation processes and smelting. We stand tall and very proud of the work and controls we have in place,” he said.

A 2018 Chamber of Mines report says Zimbabwe’s platinum output increased by 3% to 14,6 tonnes in 2018 from 14,3 tonnes in 2017. The country’s three platinum producers continued to operate at full capacity despite depressed platinum prices, and output was projected at 15,5 tonnes in 2019.

In a drive to attract investors, the government last year scrapped the indigenisation policy; regarded as an impediment to investment, as it prescribed that 51% shareholding of any foreign investment should be ceded to locals. The extractive sector, particularly platinum mining, has been the main centre of attraction to investors.

While it is difficult to quantify how much Zimbabwe loses through illicit financial flows (IFFs), a study by the African Forum and Network on Debt and Development reveals that between 2009 and 2013, the country lost US$2,83 billion through illicit flows in the mining, wildlife and fisheries sectors, translating to an annual average of US$570,75m.

IFFs are illegal movements of money or capital from one country to another with Global Financial Integrity classifying it as a movement when funds are illegally earned, transferred or utilised across country borders.

 This story was written for NewsDay as part of Wealth of Nations, a media skills development programme run by the Thomson Reuters Foundation. More information at www.wealth-of-nations.org. The content is the sole responsibility of the author and the publisher.

BY CHARLES LAITON

AFTER a captivating month where Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga and his estranged wife, Marry, threw brickbats at each other in riveting court applications in their ongoing divorce proceedings, the public might have had their last as the couple has decided to resolve its differences outside the courtroom.

The move came at a time graphic details of their strained relationship, alleged drug abuse, accusations of witchcraft and illegally acquired vast wealth were laid bare through affidavits deposited by each party at the High Court, where the divorce proceedings were set to be heard.

Chiwenga set the ball rolling last month, when upon his return from a four-month long stay in China where he was hospitalised, he caused Marry’s arrest on allegations of externalisation, money laundering and attempted murder and eventually locked her out of their matrimonial home in Harare’s leaf Borrowdale Brooke.

The former general also forcibly took over custody of the couple’s children, accusing Marry of being a drug addict and too sickly to look after them.

Upon her release from remand prison, Marry took Chiwenga to court demanding the return of the children and access to the house.

She then followed that up with a huge maintenance bill – broken down as US$40 000 per month maintenance for her upkeep and a total of US$7 500 per month for their three children, among other demands.

She also exposed the retired general’s alleged presidential ambitions even before President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s tenure has expired and how Chiwenga had been captured by Sakunda Petroleum’s Kuda Tagwireyi, a prominent fuel dealer who pampered him with top of the range vehicles for personal use.

Yesterday, Marry was at the High Court in the company of her lawyer Taona Nyamakura where they met Chiwenga’s lawyers Wellington Pasipanodya and Advocate Lewis Uriri with a view to have the matter deliberated on, but the hearing was deferred.

“The matter has been deferred to Tuesday, January 21 for possible argument or confirmation of settlement. We exchanged positions as legal practitioners acting for both sides in the matter and the tentative position is that this is a matter that we both agreed should be settled and not argued,” Nyamakura said, soon after exiting Justice Christopher Dube-Banda’s chambers.

“It will be in the best interest of the children that the parties find each and that the law is followed. But it’s a tentative position, if we cannot reach a settlement by Monday, then it means we proceed with oral argument on Tuesday as directed by the judge.”

Early this week, Chiwenga openly accused Marry of having caused his illness and attempting to end his life in a bid to take over his vast property empire. The Vice President also accused Marry of being a drug addict and consulting witchdoctors in a bid to bewitch him.

Marry hit back revealing that the collapse of the couple’s nine-year customary marriage was brought about by Chiwenga’s alleged paranoia, poor health and the influence of “heavy doses of drugs”. She also claimed Chiwenga harboured ambitions to take over the presidency.

Ironically, Chiwenga had earlier also accused his wife of being a “drug addict” but Marry dismissed the claims, saying she was a better, healthy parent as opposed to an absentee father who stays more in hospitals than at home.

BY DESMOND CHINGARANDE

KWEKWE magistrate Story Rushambwa and clerk of court Bright Mpiyabo, yesterday had their case of illegally facilitating the release of a stolen vehicle to controversial businessman Shepherd Tundiya remanded to February 14 pending the finalisation of investigations.

Rushambwa (48) and Mpiyabo (45), who are being charged with criminal abuse of office, appeared before magistrate Francis Mapfumo for routine remand.

The duo is on $2 000 bail each.

According to court papers, sometime in September 2018 a Mercedes Benz vehicle was impounded from Tundiya by CID Kwekwe as it was suspected to have been stolen from South Africa and smuggled into Zimbabwe.

The vehicle was then handed over to Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) for further management. It was then held pending finalisation of investigations by South African Police Service and possible settling of duty in terms of the Customs and Excise Act.

It is the State’s case that on December 9 last year, Tundiya made an ex parte application seeking the release of the motor vehicle and on the same day Rushambwa presided over the matter. He granted an order that the vehicle be released unconditionally to Tundiya.

It is alleged the order issued by Rushambwa was prejudicial to Zimra.

The State alleges the whereabouts of the vehicle are no longer known.

It is also alleged that sometime in October last year, a Toyota Hilux vehicle was impounded by the police anti-corruption unit from John Mapurazi.

The vehicle was taken as an exhibit in a case of fraud in Bulawayo after it was fraudulently imported into the country.

The State alleges the vehicle was then handed over to Zimra for customs management and finalisation of trial. It is alleged on December 27 last year, Mapurazi made an ex parte application seeking the release of the vehicle.

It is alleged Rushambwa then hatched a plan to order the release of the motor vehicle to Mapurazi. He allegedly in connivance with Mpiyabo withheld the record until Rushambwa who was on leave arrived at court to deal with the application.

The State alleges Mpiyabo then placed the record before Rushambwa well knowing he was on leave. Rushambwa, however, presided over the application in the absence of Mapurazi who was now being represented by Tundiya who is not a lawyer. The magistrate went on to grant the order for the release of the motor vehicle to Mapurazi.

The vehicle can no longer be accounted for.

BY CHARLES LAITON

HARARE-BASED freelance journalist, Doubt Asima, who was arrested in August last year on public violence charges after he was found rendering first aid to an elderly woman during an anti-government protest, has been acquitted by Harare magistrate Richard Ramaboea for lack of evidence.

According to the evidence presented in court, the elderly woman had been assaulted by police officers near Africa Unity Square during anti-government protests held on August 16.

During trial, Asima was charged together with one Fabian Mushunga, who was also accused of forcibly disturbing the peace, security and/or order of the public.

The State had alleged that Asima and Mushunga, who were represented by human rights lawyers Jeremiah Bamu and Tinomuda Shoko, engaged in acts of public violence by barricading some streets in central Harare with stones and boulders.

The State further alleged that the two men also threw stones at some police officers, thereby disturbing the free movement of the public and vehicles.

In his defence, Asima argued that his arrest and prosecution stemmed from police’s desire to conceal evidence of their brutality, which he had captured on his camera.

Mushunga said he was arrested while passing through town from Belvedere, adding he was not involved in the protests.

Ramaboea declined to put them to their defence and set them free.