BUSINESSMAN Ewan Macmillan, one of the alleged gold smuggling and money laundering kingpins interviewed in the Qatar-based television news network Al Jazeera's Gold Mafia documentary series, has apologised saying he made the remarks under the influence of alcohol.
This comes months after the 52-year-old merchant and several others, including Zimbabwe's ambassador-at-large Uebert Angel were exposed in the news network’s sting operation claiming they could launder millions of US dollars on behalf of President Emmerson Mnangagwa and government as a sanctions-busting measure.
In a brief statement yesterday, Macmillan said: “I would like to apologise to my family, friends, fellow Zimbabweans and to all those people… offended (by) my behaviour and comments as shown in the recent Al Jazeera Gold Mafia series.
“I made many statements under the influence of alcohol that were boastful, untrue, derogatory and malicious that have caused harm to those around me, in business with me… industry that I had worked in… Zimbabwe banking and financial sectors, and those in important positions of authority..,” he said, adding he was “thoroughly embarrassed about the whole incident.”
While others named in the documentary have threatened to sue the Arabian broadcaster, government initially dismissed it as a smear campaign ahead of the August 23 poll.
Government later said it was investigating the matter to clear its name. Some of the alleged perpetrators had their bank accounts briefly frozen.
