Gilbert Muponda cleared by Interpol

CANADA – EXILED businessman and ENG Capital director Mr Gilbert Muponda has been cleared by the International Police Organisation and has been removed from the list of international fugitives. Muponda was issued with a clearance certificate through his Canadian lawyers, SVN law firm.

A letter written by the Interpol secretariat to Mr Muponda’s lawyer Mr Sunny Nnamdi Vincent reads: “The procedure in our letter dated 6 December, 2010 has been applied to the process of your request.
“We would like to inform you that the information concerning Mr Muponda communicated by Zimbabwe has been deleted from Interpol General Secretariat Files.”

Mr Muponda was put on the Interpol files after he skipped bail in 2004 when he was facing, together with ENG co-director, Nyasha Watyoka fraud allegations. He was issued with a warrant of arrest after he skipped bail.

The courts cleared the ENG directors in 2008 after it ruled that the case against them should proceed by way of summons.

Mr Muponda was also cleared while some of their assets were returned by a High Court ruling after ENG Capital that had been placed under voluntary liquidation cleared its debt.

He was de-specified two months ago. In a statement yesterday, Muponda, who is also challenging the acquisition of his shares in CFX Bank by Interfin Holdings welcomed the clearance by Interpol.

“The clearance certificate was issued to my Canadian lawyers SVN Law Office after they made an application based on the given facts that I was actually the victim who lost assets such as CFX Bank and my personal house 17 Chishawasha Road, Umwinsdale.

“All these assets were irregularly sold and investigations by Interpol confirmed that I was a victim and did not deserve to be on the list but rather deserved help and protection and assistance in recovering my assets which I am seeking to recover in particular CFX Bank,” he said.

He said the fact that various authorities had cleared him proved his innocence. “I have been cleared by Anti-Corruption Commission, the Home Affairs Ministry de-specified me recently and also the High Court of Zimbabwe confirmed my innocence and returned some of our assets.

“This clearance by a professional and respected organisation like Interpol totally confirms my innocence and I look forward to the return of my Bank CFX and its re-licencing,” Mr Muponda said.