THERE ARE NOW LEADS ON ITAI DZAMARA, SO WHY IS NO ON INVESTIGATING?

THERE ARE NOW LEADS ON ITAI DZAMARA, SO WHY IS NO ON INVESTIGATING?

Last week, Military Intelligence declassified information on Itai Dzamara and put it on record (voice notes) in a question & answer session on a whatsapp group called #HotSeat.

What is interesting is no journalists or bloggers have picked up this very important information that was availed and the question is why? Because I feel that great leads were given (on a platform with intelligence officers, politicians and government officials from all parties) in these interviews for investigative journalists, private investigators, western intelligence and people interested in finding Itai, to use.

These officers gave leads that the Dzamara family, activists and opposition political parties should probably get to world class private investigators (exCIO, exMI6 or exMosad) to work on. I’m sure they could also follow the money and see if it takes them to Itai. But what is not making sense is their lack of interest and inquisition into this information, unless they knew it already.

With the information put out into the public domain last week, I have twenty questions:

1. Does the fact that none of our security organs, lawyers, human rights groups or politicians on the #HotSeat group disputed the validity of the agents and their information, mean that this was authentic declassification of intelligence files by our military and government on public record?

2. Did the Zimbabwean media know that Itai had been taken in twice for interrogation by Military Intelligence, pertaining to the huge amounts of money he was receiving in off-shore accounts.

3. If the media knew, why did they not write about this and why did they not question the source of these monies, in a world fighting elicit flow of funds, money laundering and terrorist funding?

Just as a reminder, the Zimbabwean banking system has since been blacklisted by the EU for money laundering and not stopping elicit flows of money that could be used to fund terrorism.

4. Why was this money and these accounts deemed a national security threat to the point of catching the interest of military intelligence?

5. Why did Itai himself not publicize that Military Intelligence was interrogating him [a civilian] about monies he had in his foreign accounts?

6. Did his family, other activists, Zimbabwe Lawyers For Human Rights and opposition know about these monies and have they followed that paper trail to find Itai?

7. Why have all the above groups (especially ZLHR) not engaged world renowned investigators to find Itai?

8. Why have western embassies in Zimbabwe, who know all this detail, not ventilated this information when accusing our government of abductions?

9. Are the number plates and names of agents that the media have given us as abductors of Itai, the agents who took Itai for questioning or those who took him after his release from questioning by MI?

10. If Itai had off-shore accounts, where are [were] these accounts and in which banks.

11. How much was [is] in these accounts?

12. How did Itai open these accounts in those foreign locales when he lived in Zimbabwe, in contravention of FICA which requires proof of residence or a registered business in that country, to stop money laundering and the funding of terrorism?

13. How did Itai open off-shore accounts at a time some Zimbabweans are being denied off-shore accounts due to sanctions.

14. Who were the people depositing huge money into those accounts?

15. What kind of work was Itai doing for these deposits?

16. How was he using this money?

17. Military Intelligence also highlighted that by the time they brought him in for the second interrogation, there had been huge movement in the account, which illustrated that something was happening. What was this movement, to where was this movement and what was happening?

18. Where were the monies being transferred?

19. Where were funds from Itai's account transferred to after his abduction? Who transferred them?

20. Where is Itai? Is he alive?

In the question session, Military Intelligence was adamant that they and other agencies in Zimbabwe did not take Itai after releasing him from their interrogation. In fact, they were planning to charge him so that the information pertaining to his activities would be ventilated in court. I don't believe a shrewd intelligence such as ours would release such information in public if it was not true, knowing that the media and enemy agencies would like to prove them wrong.

Although they never said anything about Hopewell, I believe that he is also being investigated for similar national security breaches, more than what the current charges say. The problem is the investigators need to make sure his case is water tight, knowing that he is backed up by powerful governments that our government is currently reengaging.

This disclosure, is an opportunity for Zimbabweans to get to the bottom of a 5yr old mystery, on the fate of Itai Dzamara. It's also a window of insight for us as civilians to appreciate that many of our own are compromising our national security for money and becoming threats, to us as a nation, hence Military Intelligence must deal with them.

The information declassified by Military Intelligence and put on public record is a very important lead that we should use and not waste on speculation, if we are really interested in the welfare of Itai Dzamara. We must also use it as an acid test of our Military Intelligence and the bonafides of those [embassies, opposition members, activists, Lawyers and Human Rights pressure groups] speaking on Itai's behalf.

In my gut, I feel our government knows where Itai is but they can’t say and the only reason I see them not saying anything, is because the people behind Itai's disappearance and trying to pin it on government, are bigger than our government. Big enough to force undemocratic reforms and reengagement upon our country.

"Never take money from the devil if you can't deliver the blood he wants".

Rutendo Bereza Matinyarare of ZUAUWS (Zimbabweans Unite Against US War Sanctions)

Itai Dzamara missing psoter