Mugabe snubs Zimbabwe parliament hearing again

Zimbabwe’s former president Robert Mugabe on Monday again failed to attend a parliamentary hearing where he was due to give evidence on corruption in the diamond mining industry.

Lawmakers want to question him over his 2016 claim that Zimbabwe lost $15 billion in revenue due to corruption and foreign exploitation in the diamond sector.

The 94-year-old, who was ousted from office in November after 37 years in power, also failed to attend the hearing last week without giving reasons.

“We were expecting former president Robert Mugabe to appear before us as a result of a letter that had been written to him,” Temba Mliswa, mines committee chair and an independent member of parliament, told journalists.

“He is not being prosecuted, it is only a matter of us hearing from him and him contributing whatever he has to us.”

The committee has offered to interview Mugabe at his residence, Mliswa added.

Mugabe ruled Zimbabwe from 1980 until he was ousted from office in November following a brief military takeover.

His authoritarian regime was accused of syphoning off diamond profits.