Chamisa Speaks On Claims That He Was Simon Rudland's Lawyer
Nelson Chamisa, the leader of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), Zimbabwe’s biggest opposition party, denied claims that he was Simon Rudland‘s lawyer in 2016. This comes after an Al Jazeera documentary called “Gold Mafia” implicated Rudland in gold smuggling and money laundering activities.
Recently, presidential spokesperson George Charamba claimed that Chamisa was one of Rudland’s lawyers, which led to speculation that Chamisa’s silence on the “Gold Mafia” documentary was due to his alleged association with Rudland.
However, Chamisa denied the claim in an interview with a local publication and argued that his critics were directing their anger at the wrong target. Chamisa said:
I am not Emmerson (Mnangagwa). I am Nelson; Mnangagwa is the one who is presiding over this nation and therefore fingers have to point at him because he has the responsibility and the accountability.
He (Mnangagwa) is the one who presides over the Reserve Bank, he is the one who has been entrusted, of course illegitimately, with the stewardship of our national resources, the silverware of the family.
I’m there as the alternative and what has been proven by this Al Jazeera report is what we have always known, that indeed the problem is corruption.
Chamisa stated that he has no relationship with any of the people involved in the scandal and denied representing Rudland. He also criticised the presidential spokesperson for not understanding how lawyers, particularly advocates, function. He said:
In any event, I was not the one who was responsible in that matter; that was an advocate Thabani Mpofu matter and as far as I know advocate Mpofu is one of the finest advocates in the country.
And he acts for his clients, and I am not accountable for that. I did my privileges in advocacy chambers.
So, I would work with advocate Mpofu not as the plea or principal advocate but assisting under the privilege, so it was in the context that we acted in the matter not as my client.
The “Gold Mafia” scandal has gained global attention and was discussed in the British House of Lords. The documentary implicates Zimbabwe ambassador at large and preacher Uebert Angel, Zimbabwe Miners Federation boss Henrietta Rushwaya, the first family, gold dealer Ewan MacMillan, and business tycoon Simon Rudland.
