Manhunt for Cash Smugglers. . . $7,3 Million Squirreled Away to Botswana
Police have launched a massive manhunt for three Bulawayo businesspeople on allegations of externalising more than $7,3 million to Botswana this year.
The probe is part of stern efforts to deal with the current liquidity and cash crisis.
The three have been identified as Delny Deanna Ashley (41), Farid Shahadat (45) and Ryan Gregory Joseph (29).
National police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi said the three were wanted for contravening Section 8(1) paragraph (b) of the Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Act, Chapter 9:24.
“During the period between 14 January 2017 to 7 April 2017, the suspect Delny Deanna Ashley Davies, on her own personal capacity and through other couriers who are all Zimbabwean passport holders crossed into Botswana with large amounts of cash and deposited a total of $5 819 106, R500 100, EUR39 500 into her three foreign accounts, namely Stanbic Bank (South African rand) account number 9060001687994, Stanbic Bank (Euro) account number 9060002320067 and Stanbic Bank (United States dollar) account number 9060001680000 and 9060002620435 without the approval of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe,” he said.
Chief Supt Nyathi said during the period between February 23 and April 11 this year, Shahadat, who is the director of a gold mining and milling company, Yakuts Marketing (Pvt) Ltd in Bulawayo, with the help of other couriers crossed into Botswana with large amounts of money.
They deposited a total of $1 197 080 into his three foreign bank accounts — Stanbic Bank account number 906 000 257 2465, Stanbic Bank (906 000 257 2504) and Capital Bank (000 370 300 8498) — without the approval of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe.
“On 12 and 13 April 2017, Ryan Gregory Joseph deposited a total of $331 700 into his personal foreign Stanbic Bank Account number 906 000 162 9595 in Botswana without the approval of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe. The three suspects externalised a total amount of $7 347 886,” Chief Supt Nyathi said.
He said their whereabouts were still not known and he appealed to anyone with information that might assist with investigations to contact Chief
Superintendent Nyamupaguma on 0716 800 105 or 0712 412 034, CID Commercial Crimes Division northern region on (04) 771 994 or the national complaints desk on (04) 703631.
“The last known address for Davies is number 23 Kendemere Road, Morningside in Bulawayo, for Shahadat it’s number 4 Baxendale Avenue, Kumalo in Bulawayo and for Joseph it’s Number 78 Annold Way, Burnside, Bulawayo,” Chief Supt Nyathi said.
The latest development comes after Cabinet recently directed Government officials to take corruption, illicit financial flows and underground foreign exchange dealings head-on as part of stern efforts to deal with the current liquidity and cash crisis.
This comes after reports that Zimbabwe’s foreign currency shortages were worsening due to massive capital flight amid indications corporates and business tycoons have externalised $3 billion between 2015 and June 2017 mainly to Botswana, Mauritius and the Far East, a development currently under intense investigation.
Freeman Razemba, Harare Bureau
