Chinese investors dupe Zanu-PF bigwigs

Top Government and Zanu-PF officials were duped by a group of dubious Chinese investors whose licence has since been cancelled for flouting immigration, exchange control and tax regulations, it has been learnt.

The Chinese, who were operating under Mezzotin Investments (Pvt) Ltd, were accused of accessing fake employment permits and importing top-of-the-range vehicles without paying tax.

The vehicles were then resold before the regulated period of two years which is provided for all immigrants.
They were also fingered in duping unsuspecting top Zanu-PF and Government officials (names provided) by enticing them to invest in failed and non-existent mining projects.

The investors involved in the scandal are Huan Qu, whose passport number is G37290944, Deng Binwu (G35266031), Ke Li (G47088399), Hongjun Qu (G41928200), Zhe Cai (G42391648) and Fang Lianhua (E01808349). Their licence has since been cancelled by the Zimbabwe Investment Authority (ZIA).

The group allegedly connived with officials in different Government departments to flout regulations.
It also merged that Mezzotin Investments is 90 percent owned by ADSANI company, a subsidiary of Zoolander Investments, which is listed on the Canadian stock exchange. According to a ZIA letter in possession of The Sunday Mail dated April 28, 2014 signed by the authority's acting chief executive officer, Mr Godfrey Mandivheyi, Mezzotin Investments was accused of misrepresenting information to obtain an investment licence.

The letter was addressed to Mezzotin Investments director Mr Lawrence Hood and was copied to the Immigration Department's Principal Director, Mr Clemence Masango, Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Exchange Control Division Senior Division Chief Mr Morris Bekezela Mpofu and Zimra Commissioner-General Mr Geshom Pasi. "Reference is made to our correspondence dated 01 April 2014 in which the authority notified you of its intention to cancel your investment licence No. 001803 issued on 7 May 2013 for engaging in the mining and refining of tantalite and columbite ores in Dorowa. Reference is also made to your subsequent response which was received on 11 April 2014 accepting cancellation of the investment licence.

"Through this letter, I therefore advise you that your investment licence No. 001803 has been cancelled owing to misrepresentation of information in accordance with Section 22 (1) (a) of the Zimbabwe Investment Authority Act Chapter 14:30.

"Be advised that this cancellation shall also be communicated to other Government departments including the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Revenue Authority and the Immigration Control Department which will result in the cancellation of all other benefits you may have been entitled to as an investor," reads part of the letter.
It is understood that the cancellation of the Chinese investors' licence was an indication that several other businessmen from the Far East could be engaged in clandestine deals.

As of end of April, ZIA approved investment projects worth US$134 million, of which 75 percent of these valued at US$100 million were from China.

Investigations by The Sunday Mail showed that the Chinese nationals were smuggling cars, some of which have already been impounded by Zimra.

Information obtained revealed a Toyota Prado (registration number ACY 5560) and a Toyota double cab (ACU 4301) were impounded on May 7, 2014 at Number 15 Harare Drive, which is owned by Mezzotin Investments.

Zimra chief corporate communications officer Mr Taungana Ndoro could not comment.

"The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority derives its administrative powers from the Revenue Authority Act [Chapter 23:11]. Its officers are precluded by specific provisions within this law from providing specific information concerning its clients to third parties.

"This is obviously the case in order to protect the integrity of the fiscus. Should any officer of the authority violate the provisions of this law, dire consequences will follow. For that reason, I am, therefore, unable to comment or provide the requested information because of the reasons stated above," he said in a written response.

The Chinese nationals are also at the centre of a syndicate involved in illegally regularising their stay in the country by working with corrupt immigration officials who date-stamped their passports at the entry and exit points of the Harare International Airport.

This resulted in the arrest of an immigration official, Tafadzwa Gotore of Tynwald South in Harare, who has since appeared in court for fraudulently date-stamping Wang Teng's passport.

In a letter dated December 14, 2012, Mezzotin Investments' representative Mr Edison Kadzombe wrote to the Department of Immigration applying for temporary permits in which he admitted that one of the company's employee, Maxine Beatrice Mapara, was arrested for obtaining fake temporary work permits.

Mapara was employed by Real Gain Investments (Pvt) Ltd, which is a subsidiary of Mezzotin Investments.

Although the company distanced itself from the Mapara shady deals, the development confirmed a syndicate of corrupt officials conniving with foreigners to issue fake work permits.

Approached for comment on Friday, Mezzotin Investments officials refused to answer questions.

"We have no comment on those issues," said a Mezzotin Investments representative.