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Saleh, Kazini named in diamond smuggling
By Frank NyakairuAnother report on the alleged exploitation of the DR Congo�s resources has named Salim Saleh, James Kazini and Muhoozi Kainerugaba in diamond smuggling.�Typically, these diamonds are stuffed in bicycles or even swallowed by Congolese smugglers to evade control points,� the Belgium-based International Peace Information Service writes in a report. Capt. Muhoozi, who is President Yoweri Museveni`s son, Lt. Gen. Saleh, the President�s brother and Saleh's wife Jovia, and the UPDF commander Maj. Gen. James Kazini are named. The 33-page report titled �Network War� claims that Victoria Group, a ghost company allegedly owned by the named people, is at the centre of the diamond business. �It [Victoria Group] is a ghost company � not mentioned in any commercial register,� the report says. At the top of Victoria group is a Lebanese businessman called Khalil Nazzeem Ibrahim. �Khalil deals directly with Saleh�s wife and two other collaborators � M. Gassan and one Talal based in Kisangani and Gbadolite,� the report says. IPIS researchers in Benni identified two companies that currently lead Victoria�s diamond operations; Mister Cash and Beldiam. One Monsieur Ahmed, who allegedly works for Saleh and Kazini, runs Mister Cash based in Benni, the report says. The Mister Cash premises are alleged to be heavily guarded by UPDF soldiers. It said: �Kazini issued a safe conduit for Victoria�s diamonds, coffee and gold exports from RCD as early 1999.� The report continues: �When IPIS checked the export statistics from Benni customs, it could not find any diamond for the last two years.� It said the other firm under the Victoria group is a company called Beldiam ran in one of the rooms in Kampala�s Sheraton Hotel by one Abbas Khazal. It said that after buying the diamonds from Mister Cash, Beldiam smuggles the diamonds to various destinations in the world. Victoria Group has featured prominently in previous reports on Congo mineral plunder but the named peopl e have persistently denied anything to do with it. Saleh and Kazini are among some of the Uganda officers threatened with indictment by the UN Security Council for allegedly plundering Congo�s wealth. The report also comes at a time when 52 countries have agreed to stop the sale of the so-called conflict diamonds used to fund rebel wars in Africa. When contacted yesterday for comment on the fresh allegations, Saleh said: �I have no interest in that story.� Kazini and Muhoozi were not available to comment. November 07, 2002 02:01:03 |
