Rushwaya cleared on secret nostro accounts
- Rushwaya cleared on secret Nostro accounts
- ZMF insiders accuse Philemon Mokuele of acting childishly
- Names of those who may take over from Rushwaya pop up
Suspended Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF) President Ms Henrietta Rushwaya has been cleared of allegations of opening secret Nostro accounts where miners allegedly deposited fees, Newsday reports.
An investigation conducted by a special committee set up by the federation established that the former ZIFA boss did not open any Nostro accounts without the knowledge of other ZMF members.
ZMF chairperson Makumba Nyenje on Tuesday confirmed that the probe exonerated Rushwaya of any wrongdoing.
“Actually, they are not secret accounts, they are accounts which they opened on behalf of the organisation. We discovered that they were waiting for other signatories to bring their documents. It is above board and no money has been deposited into the accounts,” Nyenje said.
The allegations of misuse of the nonexistent funds in the Nostro accounts were made public by Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF) General Secretary Philemon Mokuele in a side interview with the sun news. Mokuele said that miners were depositing their fees in the accounts amid fears that the ZMF members could have been duped of thousands of US dollars in the clandestine operations.
Mokuele has since the arrest of Rushwaya been on an offense attacking the underfire suspended ZMF boss yet weeks ago he was pictured in numerous photos smiling with his hand across Rushwaya’s shoulder. ZMF insiders say Mokuele has been acting childishly and recklessly, throwing around unsubstantiated allegations, and has ambitions to become the Association’s leader.
ZMF is currently being led by an interim leader Mr. Marufu Sithole until Rushwaya’s case is concluded in the courts. Names of those who may replace the beleaguered ZMF boss have started popping up with Mugawu, Dosman Mangisi, Makumba Nyenje, being frequently mentioned.
Rushwaya was suspended from ZMF following her arrest at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport on Monday last week on suspicion of attempting to smuggle to Dubai more than 6kg of gold worth US$330 000.
Rushwaya has however claimed that she picked up the wrong bag with four gold bars instead of a similar bag with her clothes when she went to the airport.