Maravi

(NEWZIMBABWE) Govt cancels ACR mining claims

COMMENT - Andrew Cranswick used dummy corporations to acquire more than his legal number of diamond claims. He also evaded taxes in (at least) Australia. See here.

Govt cancels ACR mining claims
by Business Reporter
20/12/2010 00:00:00

ZIMBABWE will cancel all mineral claims held by Maidstone, England-based African Consolidated Resources Plc, said Obert Mpofu, the country's mines minister. The licenses "will be revoked because there were irregularities when they were issued," Mpofu said. "All of them were acquired fraudulently."

He said the cancellation isn't related to President Robert Mugabe's warning last week that U.K. companies may face sanctions.

Mugabe said on Dec. 17 that it's "time to read the riot act" to the U.K. and other Western countries which have imposed sanctions against the president and some other members of his ruling party.

ACR has been involved in a dispute with the government over its rights to the Marange diamond field.

The company has been active in Zimbabwe since 2004 and has interests in gold, nickel, platinum and other commodities, according to its website.

Andrew Cranswick, chief executive officer of ACR, said the company has done nothing wrong.

"None of our claims, including those in Marange, were improperly acquired," he said. "We will do everything we can to protect our rights."

Cranswick is also at the centre of controversy after he was cited as the source of claims senior Zanu PF and government officials were involved in diamond claims in the country.

The ACR chief Executive was claimed to have been the source of the allegations in cables of US embassy communications released by the whistle-blower website, WikiLeaks.

Cranswick denies the allegations.

He has since been sued for US$10 million by the country’s secret intelligence boss, Happyton Bonyongwa over the allegations.

Labels: AFRICAN CONSOLIDATED RESOURCES PLC, ANDREW CRANSWICK, CORRUPTION, TAX EVASION

posted by MrK @ 12:58 PM