[DEBATE] : (Fwd) Unpatriotic white bourgeoisie problem in Zim

[Patrick Bond]

Zimbabwe Independent, 23 June

Bredenkamp not yet charged

Staff Writer

A fortnight after the National Economic Conduct Inspectorate (Neci) 
raided controversial business tycoon John Bredenkamp for alleged 
economic crimes, the government has not formally charged him with any 
crime. Neci, which is part of the Central Intelligence Organisation, 
raided Bredenkamp’s local companies two weeks ago to investigate cases 
linked to economic crimes. He was also being probed on allegations of 
flouting exchange control regulations, tax evasion and contravening the 
Citizenship Act. The raid coincided with a trip out of the country by 
the businessman. The state media reported that he had fled the country 
while his office in Harare said he had left for a routine medical trip 
to the United Kingdom. A Breco Holdings spokesman said they had not 
received any statement from the authorities. "We are waiting for the 
outcome of the investigation before we can give a definitive reaction," 
the spokesman said. Police spokesman Wayne Bvudzijena said it was not 
the police that was dealing with the matter. "We haven’t dealt with that 
case," Bvudzijena said. Bredenkamp, who was a sanctions-buster and 
gun-runner for the former Rhodesian leader Ian Smith, switched 
allegiance to become one of President Robert Mugabe’s most influential 
business associates until the outbreak of the DRC war in 1998. He is 
often named as one of Britain’s 33rd richest men, with a fortune 
estimated at between £400 million and £700 million.