Zimbabwe investigates Grace Mugabe for unlawful ivory smuggling

Zimbabwe has launched an investigation into the nation’s former first lady, Grace Mugabe, over her alleged involvement in an ivory smuggling ring.

The probe became opened after a three-month undercover mission by Australian flowers and fauna photographer Adrian Steirn. 

Talking completely to Al Jazeera, Steirn talked about he uncovered the poaching and smuggling syndicate when he started taking a stumble on into the unlawful ivory change in December.

« Ivory became being sourced either from the nationwide park’s vault, being thieved or pilfered, or from are residing elephants being killed by poaching syndicates. The syndicate would then promote to Grace Mugabe’s clientele, » he talked about.

« She would then be ready to pack that and ship it out throughout the airport. The rest through that airport, that became the property of the first lady, became no longer searched or scanned in any methodology. »

Steirn has gathered paperwork, undercover movies and testimonies, which he confirmed to Al Jazeera’s Investigative Unit. They expose the syndicate and the former first lady’s involvement in ivory smuggling, he talked about.

Managed ivory change is allowed in Zimbabwe, nevertheless its export is no longer accredited.

In a written assertion to Al Jazeera, Christopher Mutsvangwa, a special advisor to President Emmerson Mnangagwa, talked about Zimbabwe’s executive « will sight answers from all parties together with former First Woman Grace Mugabe… about their data of the unlawful export of prohibited items from our nation. »

Two alleged smugglers were charged with possession of ivory.

Al Jazeera contacted Grace Mugabe’s team, attorneys and kinfolk for statement, nevertheless they did no longer respond.

Within the route of the presidency of her husband, Robert, she became a controversial figure, incomes the nickname ‘Gucci Grace’ for her extravagant taking a stumble on sprees.

Her hopes of succeeding him were dashed when the military compelled Mugabe from vitality in November, and Mnangagwa took over.

That became when Steirn seen an opening to investigate, going undercover as an ivory purchaser. 

Three weeks later, in December, authorities in Zimbabwe seized an unlawful shipment of 200 kilograms of ivory destined for Malaysia at Harare’s Robert Mugabe Global Airport.

Steirn talked about the evidence he gathered connects that shipment to Grace Mugabe and the smuggling syndicate. 

Al Jazeera’s Malcom Webb, reporting from Johannesburg, talked about Mnangagwa’s executive became alive to « to natty up its worldwide image after a protracted time of Mugabe rule ». 

« The poaching and smuggling investigation is the first main be troubled to the Mugabe family dynasty since the commerce of vitality, » he talked about.