Zimbabwe: ZACC Arrests Chinese National in Major Lithium Smuggling Probe

What the report says

Zimbabwe’s Anti-Corruption Commission has arrested Ning Yaokun, a Chinese national and director of Orequest (Pvt) Ltd, in a widening investigation into alleged lithium smuggling. According to the report distributed by AllAfrica from 263Chat, Yaokun surrendered to authorities on 10 September and is expected to appear before the Harare Magistrates’ Court on allegations that a syndicate used fraudulent export documents to move more than 720 tonnes of unbeneficiated lithium ore out of Zimbabwe.

ZACC says the case involves several other suspects, including Orequest finance director MinMin Song, Shuvai Muza and Charlene Chivandire, who are already on remand. Another suspect, identified only as Malvern, remains at large. Investigators allege that the company operated an illegal mineral-processing and dispatch site at Plot 5, Cheltenham Park Drive in Ruwa, where lithium was stockpiled, processed and prepared for export.

The commission alleges that fake paperwork was used to send trucks through Forbes Border Post in Mutare, with some cargo later offloaded in Beira, Mozambique. Authorities also intercepted additional loads and recovered stockpiles from Ruwa, a truck stop in Harare and Forbes, bringing the total recovered mineral to 420 tonnes, according to ZACC. Equipment including crushers, loaders and generators was also seized. The ministry responsible for mines had not yet valued the seized or smuggled lithium, and the investigations were still continuing.

The case comes amid Zimbabwe’s efforts to curb raw mineral exports and encourage local processing and value addition.