Three Zimbabwean businessmen have been charged with espionage for allegedly leaking confidential government secrets to the United States, Canada and Afghanistan, state-controlled media said Saturday.
“Two Africom Holdings bosses and a Harare businessman appeared in court on espionage charges [on Friday] after they reportedly illegally set up satellite communication equipment and leaked official secrets to foreign countries,” the Herald daily reported.
“It is the state’s case that between July this year and Thursday this week, the three sent confidential security information to Canada, the United States and Afghanistan,” the paper said.
The three executives are Simba Mangwende and Farai Rwodzi of Africom, and Oliver Chiku, an executive of Global Satellite Systems. They were all remanded in custody on Friday, the paper said.
According to the Herald the three allegedly connived to install communication equipment at an undisclosed location with the help of Canadian nationals without the authority of a local communication company and the Telecommunication Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe.
The paper said if convicted the three face up to 25 years in prison. — AFP