A Chicago man now on trial for lobbying for the lifting of sanctions against Zimbabwe for a fee of US$3.4 million has been accused of being a greedy opportunist who wanted to cash in on United States President Barack Obama’s election. C. Gregory Turner, whose trial began yesterday, was accused by prosecutor Georgia Alexakis of illegally lobbying Chicago politicians to lift sanctions against President Robert Mugabe and forging their signatures on letters of support for Mugabe. His lawyers, however, argued that Turner was a humanitarian with a good track record. They said the contract signed by Turner’s partner Prince Asiel Ben Israel and Zimbabwean senator Monica Mutsvangwa was a forgery. Turner has pleaded not guilty. His colleague, Ben Israel, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to seven months in jail last month. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Turner’s trial is expected to last two weeks.
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