Staff Writer
The United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) has been petitioned by a Zimbabwean pressure group coalescing around the name Rise Up Zimbabwe over a litany of allegations levelled against former Finance Minister Tendai Biti.
The group in its petition says it decided to approach the UK office after exhausting local remedies and accuses Biti of amassing wealth from donor proceeds inappropriately dating back to the era of late President Robert Mugabe.
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) in the UK is responsible for managing the UK’s diplomatic and consular relations, promoting the UK’s interests abroad, and supporting British citizens and businesses overseas.
The group in the petition says Biti has grabbed properties in several countries from proceeds of unexplained wealth suspected to be from donor funds and wants the British government to help bring him to account or freeze the properties in offshore locations.
“Biti is a multi-billionaire with properties in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, United States of America, South Africa and various other properties in Zimbabwe mentioned by his wife during the fake divorce application.
“In California, he has a property worth USD2,7 million which is registered in his wife’s name, Charity Maguwah and another property in Potomac, Maryland which is a billionaire estate,” reads the petition.
“In 2018, Hodzi said, “A Cartel made up of Police Officers, Lawyers, Prosecutors, Magistrates, Judges and powerful Politicians has corrupted the justice delivery system in Zimbabwe and is prepared to kill to gets its way”
“He continued to say, “Now the syndicates are so powerful they rival the power of Government”
“In 2020, the Prosector General is again quoted saying, “According to Intelligence reports, Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission, State, Judiciary, Media are captured by the Cartel.”
“It has now been established beyond reasonable doubt and acknowledged by the current Prosecutor General that Tendai Laxton Biti is the Godfather of the cartel.”
“The cartel has got wide tentacles and billions of dollars, looted from state coffers and numerous illicit dealings including drug trafficking. It protects itself and is prepared to kill.”
The petition also reports that the cartel has overwhelming control over critical arms of government.
Attached to the petition are complaints made to authorities in Harare by different citizens seeking redress on cases that include fraud, dishonesty, lack of probity and collusion.
In one letter dated 12 November 2024, one Pihwai Chitutsi wrote to Prosecutor General Loyce Matanda Moyo:
“I reported this matter more than a year ago , I havprovided evidence that 1) Biti never had authority to collect any funds from me , the Power of Attorney he used was found to be fraudulent and improperly executed and thus invalid , the evidence is on record.
“ 2) I have provided proof of my payments to his account to the sum of USD 234 000, the judgement debt is usD70 000. 3) lt has been established that he never paid anythingto Rogers, infact bank statements show that he misappropriated the funds. 4) Rogers himself states unequivocally that he never received any funds from Biti. It is clear that he defrauded me of the sum of USD 234 OOO, interestingly this matter has been dragging for over one year… kindly assist in resolving this matter.”
The matters are recorded as having CR and DR numbers such as 39/08/22; 10/09/22; at Milton Park police station.
The petition to UK also lays blame on the National Constitutional Assembly and Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions as having been used to subvert the will of the people.
“The National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) and MDC were formed for nefarious purposes.Firstly, the NCA was formed by Biti and Mugabe to capture all civic society and pressure groups in Zimbabwe. The organisation was then deceived to form the MDC.
“It must be noted that the MDC was formed by the NCA. The labour movement, the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions ZCTU was a member of the NCA. Both organizations were formed for sinister purposes:
1. Blocking entry of new genuine political parties.2 Rejection of the 2000 draft constitution which would have removed Mugabe from office in 2010.
2. Destroying an effective labour movement. 3. Playing a role in the rigging of future elections. The so-called Presidential election petitions are all stage managed and fake,” reads the petition that has potential to be discussed in the House of Commons.
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