Chiyangwa to expose CIOs

CITY businessman Joe Chiyangwa, who was allegedly beaten by members of the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) for busting a syndicate that prejudiced Old Nic Mine of vast quantities of gold, yesterday said he was prepared to name his attackers and expose them for their involvement in the theft of gold.

Chiyangwa, who runs a security company in the city, said CIO operatives abducted and tortured him for exposing a racket in which operatives were working with some Old Nic Mine employees to siphon gold from the mine.

"I am a security consultant and when Old Nic Mine management realised that their gold output had declined significantly, they hired me to investigate and that is when we caught 15 workers with 439 grams," said Chiyangwa.

"This is a fact, because these workers were arrested and have already appeared in court and are set to appear again later this month. The gold was used as an exhibit in court."

He said after busting the syndicate, he was visited by a CIO agent at his office who asked him to recant his findings to the mine management but he refused.

"He said I had cut part of his livelihood and asked me to negotiate with owners of Old Nic Mine and I refused because I told him that my reputation as an owner of a security company depends on me unearthing corruption. After that he left my office," said Chiyangwa.

"Two days later I was phoned by a woman from Magnet House (which houses CIO offices) who ordered me to come to Magnet House. On arrival I was swarmed by a lot of people who bundled me into my car and drove me to a secluded area where they beat me up with electric cables and broom sticks. What I remember is that I woke up in hospital. But I can positively identify three of my attackers because I know them," he said.

Chiyangwa said he believed the Old Nic Mine workers he busted had been stealing between 12g and 14g of gold every day since 2012 and supplying it to their CIO friends.

Chiyangwa said reports that his workers tortured the workers was a fabrication by the CIO agents to tarnish his image while hiding their corrupt activities which he exposed.

"I am challenging these workers to bring their medical reports because as far as I know no one was tortured and the truth of the matter is that this is a fabricated story, they are working with their CIO friends so that they can get them off the hook, he said.

Chiyangwa who is also the Zanu PF Bulawayo Central district chairperson said the mine workers claiming to have been tortured should have reported the matter to the police on the very same day they were handed over to the cops.