Zimbabwe parliament drops call for Mugabe to answer questions on diamond mines

(FILES) In this file photo taken on April 07, 2016 then Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe attends a meeting with the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association in Harare. A Zimbabwe parliament committee has summoned former president Robert Mugabe to give evidence on May 9, 2018 over diamond corruption costing billions of dollars, underlining his dramatic fall from power after 37 years of autocratic rule. / AFP PHOTO / Jekesai NJIKIZANA

Zimbabwe’s parliament on Monday backed down from its demand for former president Robert Mugabe to answer questions related to diamond mining operations during his time in office.

In what would have been his first public appearance since being ousted in a de facto military coup in November, parliament had wanted to question Mugabe about his pronouncements that the state had been deprived of at least $15 billion in revenue by mining companies operating in the eastern Marange gem fields.

Mugabe had twice failed to appear before the mines committee of parliament and was given a final chance to do so on Monday, but the committee said in a statement it had now recused the 94-year-old former leader after consultations with the Speaker.