HARARE, Oct 20 Reuters - Zimbabwe police have arrested one of President Robert Mugabe’s closest relatives over accusations he was involved in smuggling of scarce flour to neighbouring Mozambique, state media reported today.
The state-owned Herald reported that Leo Mugabe, a nephew of President Mugabe and legislator for the northern Makonde constituency, was arrested over the illegal export of 30 tonnes of flour, worth more than 500 billion Zimbabwe dollars ($25.23 million), to Mozambique early this year.
``Yes, I can confirm that he was arrested on Tuesday for illegal exportation of 600 bags of flour to Mozambique or alternatively dealing in controlled products,’’ police spokesman Wayne Bvudzijena told the Herald.
Bvudzijena, who could not be reached for further comment, said Leo Mugabe, a controversial former football administrator, would appear in court today.
Robert Mugabe last year launched an anti-graft drive that has seen former finance minister Chris Kuruneri standing trial for illegal foreign transfers of large amounts of foreign currency, but which critics dismissed as an attempt to divert attention from Zimbabwe’s economic crisis.
Government officials have previously said smuggling of basic commodities like sugar was worsening scarcity in a country that has experienced food shortages since 2001.
President Mugabe blames drought for the food shortages while his opponents say his government’s seizures of white-owned farms have hit commercial agriculture and caused the problem.