Categories: Top story of the day

Mugabe lobbyist an opportunist

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.

(205 VIEWS)

Charles Rukuni

The Insider is a political and business bulletin about Zimbabwe, edited by Charles Rukuni. Founded in 1990, it was a printed 12-page subscription only newsletter until 2003 when Zimbabwe's hyper-inflation made it impossible to continue printing.

Share
Published by
Charles Rukuni

Recent Posts

Did you know that four of the world’s largest banks are all in China?

Four of the world’s largest banks are all in China. Assets of the Industrial and…

October 15, 2026

Zimbabwe one of the 27 countries in the world where the richest 0.1% has more wealth than the bottom 80%

Zimbabwe is one of the 27 countries in the world where the richest 0.1% of…

October 2, 2026

Zimbabwe third among the least free countries in SADC

Zimbabwe has been ranked third among the least free countries in Southern Africa but it…

May 24, 2026

Why I had a girlfriend two months after my wife’s death- Take 1

I had always considered it a curse for a wife to die before her husband.…

May 18, 2026

Why I had a girlfriend two months after my wife’s death

This is a true story about the challenges and loneliness I faced when my wife…

May 17, 2026

Coming soon

My first long-form article in booklet form: Why I had a girlfriend two months after…

May 16, 2026