HARARE – The Zimbabwean government has frozen bank accounts belonging to exiled former ministers Saviour Kasukuwere and Jonathan Moyo.

Moyo and Kasukuwere flew out of the country on November 21, the day former President Robert Mugabe resigned following a military takeover during an operation codenamed “Operation Restore Legacy”, where the military said it was targeting criminals around Mugabe.

A statement released by the Reserve Bank did not disclose the reasons for the freeze.

READ: Zimbabwe secures first post-Mugabe loan deal with China

Part of the apex bank statement sent out to financial institutions read: “You are directed to identify and immediately freeze: (i) all accounts in the name of the above-named individuals; and (ii) any accounts in which the said individuals are directors or have a known beneficial interest.”

The statement was titled: Directive to all financial institutions: Freezing of accounts re: Prof Jonathan Moyo and Mr Saviour Kasukuwere (former government ministers).

It further read: “You are further directed to submit, in writing, a return to the unit, by no later than December 8, 2017, listing and giving particulars (including balances) of all the accounts that you would have identified and frozen in terms of this directive.

“Where you have not identified any relevant account, you shall, nevertheless submit a nil return.

“Where you are in doubt regarding whether or not any particular account is linked to the named subjects, you shall contact the Unit for further direction.

“The effect of the freeze is that, (except any inflows into the account, which shall be processed normally and immediately notified to the unit) no other transaction shall be processed from a frozen account, until further the Unit directs otherwise.”

READ: Zimbabwe judge frees former finance minister Chombo on bail

The move only affects their local accounts.

The freeze extends to any business and company bank accounts associated with the former ministers.

But Moyo wrote on Twitter that “if it is an authentic extract of or from a legitimate official communication, then the law of the jungle is in operation in the so-called new era”.

RBZ governor John Mangudya did not respond to questions sent by ANA to comment on the development.

The real risk & possibility that bank accounts can be frozen just like that without due process in the so called New Era in Zimbabwe run by the Military, spells doom for ordinary people or businesses and worse for investors!

— Prof Jonathan Moyo (@ProfJNMoyo) December 7, 2017

African News Agency