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Zvamaida Murwira Harare Bureau
GOLD seized by police from illegal holders for criminal prosecution has not been surrendered to Fidelity Printers because there is no proper mechanism to synchronise the two Government arms’ activities, legislators heard yesterday.
Fidelity Printers chief executive Alen Marimbe said gold seized by police should “ideally” be surrendered to them once the courts work on the cases, but that is not what has been happening in the past.

Marimbe said this while giving oral evidence before the Mines and Energy Portfolio Committee chaired by Gutu Central MP Cde Lovemore Matuke (Zanu-PF).
The committee had expressed concern on what became of gold seized by police in the wake of reports that it was turning into “brass” in the hands of the police.

“On the ZRP impounded gold, it is an issue we need to closely liaise with the police so that we have a mechanism that links what ZRP is doing and us expecting the gold to be brought to us,” said Marimbe, who was accompanied by central bank acting Governor Dr Charity Dhliwayo.

“It’s an area that we have not emphasised.”
This prompted Cde Matuke to ask where the gold was being taken when the criminal courts disposed of the cases.

“Ideally it must be offloaded to Fidelity Printers,” said Marimbe.
“What we need is to follow that up.”

Bindura South MP Cde Remigious Matangira (Zanu-PF)said what they were being told was shocking because no gold had been surrendered to Fidelity Printers by the police.

Cde Matuke directed Fidelity to furnish the committee with a detailed report on a case by case basis of what became of the gold that was impounded by the police.
The committee also wanted to know how much gold had been surrendered as a by-product of other mining processes such as nickel and platinum processing.

RBZ and Fidelity Printers officials were also asked why they were retaining gold buying agents who had not been able to submit reasonable amounts of the mineral.
Fidelity Printers gold production director Fred Kunaka said the liberalisation of gold by the government meant it became difficult for them to account for all the gold proceeds that were sold.

He said some were bringing gold to Fidelity Printers for analysis in terms of percentage gold present and thereafter take it to a market destination of their choice.