Massive Diamond Plunder in Zimbabwe Exposed in Leak

Deputy Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Martin Rushwaya set up an offshore shell company in the Seychelles which was used to trade in diamonds while serving as defence secretary, leaked financial documents show. Rushwaya, a relative of President Emmerson Mnangagwa created Greatgem Corp. in the Seychelles in 2010, with the help of a law firm based in Moscow, Russia.

Details of Rushwaya's shell company are contained in a massive leak of financial documents published by several major news organisations, that allegedly tie world leaders to secret stores of wealth, including King Abdullah of Jordan, Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis and associates of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Zimbabwe has gained no tangible benefit from the Chiadzwa diamonds, which speaks to the high level of corruption during former president Robert Mugabe's rule. Now under Mnangagwa, mystery surrounds the return of army-linked Chinese diamond mining firm Anjin, and the awarding of a license to Russian gem conglomerate Alrosa, for mining at Manicaland's Chiadzwa diamond fields.

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