By Staff Reporter
Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) leader Nelson Chamisa has denied allegations that he was the lawyer for Simon Rudland, who was recently implicated in gold smuggling and money laundering activities by an Al Jazeera documentary called “Gold Mafia”.
There were reports on social media suggesting that Chamisa’s silence on the matter was due to his alleged association with Rudland, however, in a recent interview Chamisa dismissed these claims.
“I am not Emmerson (Mnangagwa), I am Nelson; Mnangagwa is the one who is presiding over this nation and therefore fingers have to point at him because he has the responsibility and the accountability.
“He (Mnangagwa) is the one who presides over the Reserve Bank, he is the one who has been entrusted, of course illegitimately, with the stewardship of our national resources, the silverware of the family. I’m there as the alternative and what has been proven by this Al Jazeera report is what we have always known, that indeed the problem is corruption,” Chamisa said.
Chamisa clarified that he was not Rudland’s lawyer in the 2016 matter, which was handled by Advocate Thabani Mpofu.
“As far as I know, Advocate Mpofu is one of the finest advocates in the country. And he acts for his clients, and I am not accountable for that. I did my privileges in advocacy chambers. So, I would work with advocate Mpofu not as the plea or principal advocate but assisting under the privilege, so it was in the context that we acted in the matter not as my client,” Chamisa explained.
The Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) has been critical of the government’s handling of the economy and the rampant corruption that has plagued the country for years.
Zimbabwe has been struggling with economic instability and political turmoil for years, with corruption being one of the major issues facing the country with critics accusing the Mnangagwa administration of turning a blind eye to corrupt practices and failing to take action against those involved in illegal activities.
