News / National
Chihuri says not ready for Parly grilling
25 May 2018 at 09:43hrs | Views
PARLIAMENT has finally managed to serve former Zimbabwe Republic Police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri with summons to appear in the House for grilling over the $15 billion diamond revenue which allegedly went missing in Chiadzwa.
The former police chief this week wrote to the Temba Mliswa-led Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Mines and Energy saying he was ill and would appear before the House when he gets better.
The committee had since early this month been frantically trying to locate Chihuri to summon him to Parliament to face grilling over the alleged missing $15 billion diamond revenue from Chiadzwa gem fields. Chihuri is specifically expected to explain the role played by police in safeguarding the diamonds left behind when government cancelled licences for six mining companies operating in the area.
Mliswa told the House on Wednesday that Chihuri had since responded to the summons, saying he would only be able to clear the air when he gets better.
"Chihuri has written a letter to Parliament explaining his side of the story and he said he was ill," Mliswa said.
"The letter said he will attend the committee meeting when he gets better."
Mliswa also said the verdict on Home Affairs Minister Obert Mpofu (former Mines Minister) will also be made by Speaker of the National Assembly Jacob Mudenda when Parliament resumes sitting next week.
He said the committee had submitted a report to the Speaker detailing Mpofu's unparliamentary conduct when he was questioned over the missing diamond revenue.
Mpofu declined to take questions from the committee, demanding that Mliswa should recuse himself and stop chairing the proceedings.
Mpofu alleged that prior to the committee's investigations, Mliswa had Nicodemusly visited his rural home to discuss the issue. But, Mpofu failed to say what exactly was discussed by the two.
"The Speaker (Mudenda) will make a ruling on Mpofu and it should be disposed of by next week. It is not an issue which has been swept under the carpet," Mliswa said
The former police chief this week wrote to the Temba Mliswa-led Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Mines and Energy saying he was ill and would appear before the House when he gets better.
The committee had since early this month been frantically trying to locate Chihuri to summon him to Parliament to face grilling over the alleged missing $15 billion diamond revenue from Chiadzwa gem fields. Chihuri is specifically expected to explain the role played by police in safeguarding the diamonds left behind when government cancelled licences for six mining companies operating in the area.
Mliswa told the House on Wednesday that Chihuri had since responded to the summons, saying he would only be able to clear the air when he gets better.
"Chihuri has written a letter to Parliament explaining his side of the story and he said he was ill," Mliswa said.
Mliswa also said the verdict on Home Affairs Minister Obert Mpofu (former Mines Minister) will also be made by Speaker of the National Assembly Jacob Mudenda when Parliament resumes sitting next week.
He said the committee had submitted a report to the Speaker detailing Mpofu's unparliamentary conduct when he was questioned over the missing diamond revenue.
Mpofu declined to take questions from the committee, demanding that Mliswa should recuse himself and stop chairing the proceedings.
Mpofu alleged that prior to the committee's investigations, Mliswa had Nicodemusly visited his rural home to discuss the issue. But, Mpofu failed to say what exactly was discussed by the two.
"The Speaker (Mudenda) will make a ruling on Mpofu and it should be disposed of by next week. It is not an issue which has been swept under the carpet," Mliswa said
Source - newsday
