HARARE - Three Zimbabwean businessmen linked to the late General Solomon Mujuru have been arrested and charged for allegedly leaking confidential government secrets to the US, Canada and Afghanistan, state-controlled media said Saturday, but sources said this is part of the escalating tensions in the party linked to the death of the late General and on-going succession skulduggeries

The mysterious death of Zimbabwe's former army chief Solomon Mujuru, an influential member of the ruling ZANU-PF party widely regarded as a kingmaker, has left a vacuum on the country's political scene and caused some tensions in Zanu PF and complicated the party's fragile succession debate.

Retired Zimbabwean Army General Solomon Mujuru, husband of Vice President Joyce Mujuru, died this year in a fire at his farmhouse in Beatrice, south of Harare, the capital.

"Two Africom Holdings bosses and a Harare businessman yesterday (Friday) appeared in court on espionage charges after they reportedly illegally set up satellite communication equipment and leaked official secrets to foreign countries," The Herald daily reported.

"It is the State's case that between July this year and Thursday this week, the three sent confidential security information to Canada, the United States and Afghanistan," the paper said.

The three executives are Simba Mangwende and Farai Rwodzi of Africom, and Oliver Chiku, an executive of Global Satellite Systems, were all remanded in custody on Friday, the paper said.

According to The Herald the three allegedly connived to install communication equipment at an undisclosed location with the help of Canadian nationals without the authority of a local communication company and the Telecommunication Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe.

The paper said if convicted the three face up to 25 years in prison in the southern African country. All men are believed to be linked to a network the late General Solomon Mujuru's intricate business empire.

Sources say the businessmen may be victims of Zanu PF internal bitter rivalry or they could be target of the Mujuru family fighting amongst each other for the control the late General's wealth.

However an Senior source in the party said there is a plot by Zanu PF and the intelligence to lynch foreign governments to the mysterious death of the General.

A media report sometime this year said: "Interfin Bank Chairman Farai Rwodzi and his business associates Vice President Mujuru and her late husband Retired General Solomon Mujuru had established various interests in just about every sector of the Zimbabwe economy.

In June 2005 a consortium representing the Mujurus headed by Farai Rwodzi and Adam Molai, respectively founder of the Interfin Merchant Bank and managing director of Savanna Tobacco Company took over Zimbabwe Alloys from Anglo American.

It was the first mining investment fronted by Rwodzi which glossed over the mafia tactics used by Farai Rwodzi and Benscore Investments team to arm twist the Zim alloys workers who had been promised the Company by Anglo American.

The Mujuru family using various schemes, tactics and individuals co-ordinated and fronted by Farai Rwodzi has been on an asset buying spree to amass their wealth. River Ranch is known colloquially as “Mujuru’s mine”.

But while the late Mujuru’s ownership may have been common knowledge, many other things about River Ranch remained in the shadows.

The mine is to the very heart of the late Mujuru’s struggle for control of Zanu (PF) and allegations that it has been used to cash-in on secret diamonds deals.

In April 2004 Mujuru controversially grabbed the mine with the help of Adel Abdul Rahman al Aujan, a millionaire Saudi real estate developer who also owns luxury beach resorts and safari camps in eastern and Southern Africa that operate under the name Rani Resorts. 

Although there is no definitive proof the late Mujuru was laundering Congolese diamonds, RRL’s numbers don’t tally.These tactics were well planned by the Mujurus to take mines and then launder proceeds from other controversial mines like Marange and Chiadzwa

In the the Zim alloys deal, workers were not happy about the new take over they had been promised a workers buy out. But those vultures got information from Tongai Muzenda that Zimbabwe alloys was up for grabs and had been promised to the wormers and management through a Management Buyout.

The management and workers were cowed using various mafia intimidatory tactics of arrests, physical violence and false imprisonment.

Farai Rwodzi, Interfin Bank and the late General Mujuru refined the art of illegal asset takeovers and laundering the proceeds through Interfin Bank. This is the same tactic Mujuru used to take over River Ranch Mine and now his protégé and business front and partner Farai Rwodzi reefed the art with additional help from Interfin Bank to make it look professional and above board.

Farai Rwodzi also got 5 workers arrested at Zimbabwe alloys in Gweru on false and fabricated charges in an attempt to silence them from opposing his bid for Zimabwe Alloys.

Other employees were beaten up by ZANU PF youths hired by Farai Rwodzi when they resisted his take over of Zimbabwe alloys Workers committee members then organised fellow workers to resist farai Rwodzi and Interfin’s team. Farai Rwodzi personally went to Zimbabwe alloys with Tongai Muzenda and the next the 4 workers were arrested for various fabricated allegations. Others “vaingo robhwa vachiudzwa kuti muri Ve MDC munorambidza mwana wevhu kutenga company sei”

A white commercial farmer, Guy Watson-Smith took Mr Mujuru to court to seek compensation after his farm was invaded by ruling party supporters.

In court documents, he said the the General was living on the 3,500-acre Alamein farm, 45 miles south of Harare.

Mr Watson-Smith says the infrastructure alone was worth some $2.5m. He won a court order in December 2001 but he did not get either the money or the farm.

The proceeds from the asset grabs were routinely sent to Interfin Bank for laundering purposes to hide any tracks of the preceeding illegal activities.

According to a report by former owner Gilbert Muponda: "Interfin does not have any real and meaningful clients or bank business model. Its sole purpose is to launder proceeds of crime as in asset grabs, looted diamonds, corruption this is why Rwodzi was very quick to pay US$ 5.3 million for CFX Bank because it was a real bank with proper network systems and relationship with Money gram which Farai Rwodzi intends to use extensively in his money laundering operations. Moneygram should be aware of the reputational risk that will come with Interfin Bank’s involvement with their brand.

The latest twist will surely be the begining of the unravelling or closure of what happened to the late General Solomon Mujuru as cover-up and plots of the Zanu PF dark arts work at full throttle.

By Special correspondent