News / National
Cephas Msipa fails to access money deposited in the UK
25 Jun 2013 at 06:31hrs | Views
FORMER Midlands Governor Dr Cephas Msipa is struggling to access money, which was deposited by a family friend in the United Kingdom as he is still on the sanctions list.
The development emerged when Dr Msipa recently visited the Western Union offices in Gweru to try and withdraw the money and he realised that the money had been frozen by the UK government because he was still on that country's sanctions list.
In an interview yesterday, Dr Msipa said he was disappointed to come face-to-face with the biting effects of the illegal sanctions imposed on the country by the West.
Dr Msipa, who was removed from the Western imposed sanctions list along with some other top Zanu-PF officials some months ago, said he was disappointed to learn that he was still on the UK sanctions list.
"I'm deeply saddened to learn that I am still listed on these stupid sanctions which were imposed on the country by the West. I could not believe an official at the Western Union's Gweru branch when he indicated to me that they could not release my money because I was still on the sanctions list," he said.
Dr Msipa said the 100 pounds was sent to him by a family friend who wanted the money to be used to buy some wreaths to be put on his wife's grave.
"A family friend in the UK who phoned consoling me on the passing on of my wife and sent us 100 pounds which she said should be used to buy some wreaths to be put on her grave. I was, however, shocked when I walked into the West Union offices to find out that the money could not be accessed because I am on the sanctions list," he said.
Dr Msipa said he has given up in pursuing the matter and has since advised the family friend that he could not access the money.
"It took me the whole of last week, visiting the Western Union offices in a bid to get my money. I gave up because it was now costing me time and money. I told the Western Union official that I was long removed from the sanctions list but it seems in the UK they are yet to revise their sanctions list. It is a shame to those who called for these illegal sanctions," he said.
Dr Msipa said the MDC-T, which invited the sanctions, should lobby for their complete lifting.
"My advice to the MDC-T and to the party president, (Mr Morgan) Tsvangirai in particular is that they should lobby for the complete and immediate lifting of these stupid and illegal sanctions on the country as we have had enough. These sanctions have crippled the country's economy and its high time they are lifted," he said.
An official from Western Union Gweru branch confirmed that Dr Msipa's money could not be accessed.
"The money was frozen in the UK and it's not our fault. I have communicated the development to my bosses and I am yet to receive a feedback," he said.
The development emerged when Dr Msipa recently visited the Western Union offices in Gweru to try and withdraw the money and he realised that the money had been frozen by the UK government because he was still on that country's sanctions list.
In an interview yesterday, Dr Msipa said he was disappointed to come face-to-face with the biting effects of the illegal sanctions imposed on the country by the West.
Dr Msipa, who was removed from the Western imposed sanctions list along with some other top Zanu-PF officials some months ago, said he was disappointed to learn that he was still on the UK sanctions list.
"I'm deeply saddened to learn that I am still listed on these stupid sanctions which were imposed on the country by the West. I could not believe an official at the Western Union's Gweru branch when he indicated to me that they could not release my money because I was still on the sanctions list," he said.
Dr Msipa said the 100 pounds was sent to him by a family friend who wanted the money to be used to buy some wreaths to be put on his wife's grave.
Dr Msipa said he has given up in pursuing the matter and has since advised the family friend that he could not access the money.
"It took me the whole of last week, visiting the Western Union offices in a bid to get my money. I gave up because it was now costing me time and money. I told the Western Union official that I was long removed from the sanctions list but it seems in the UK they are yet to revise their sanctions list. It is a shame to those who called for these illegal sanctions," he said.
Dr Msipa said the MDC-T, which invited the sanctions, should lobby for their complete lifting.
"My advice to the MDC-T and to the party president, (Mr Morgan) Tsvangirai in particular is that they should lobby for the complete and immediate lifting of these stupid and illegal sanctions on the country as we have had enough. These sanctions have crippled the country's economy and its high time they are lifted," he said.
An official from Western Union Gweru branch confirmed that Dr Msipa's money could not be accessed.
"The money was frozen in the UK and it's not our fault. I have communicated the development to my bosses and I am yet to receive a feedback," he said.
Source - chronicle
