British property tycoon Nicholas van Hoogstraten was arrested after being found in possesion of 20 billion Zimbabwean dollars cash, US$37 586, 92 880 South African Rands, 190 British pounds and 180 Botswana pulas. Van Hoogstatern was also found in possesion of pornographic material of himself and a 22 year old Zimbabwean women when he was arrested.
The police said van Hoogstraten, who owns about two hundred properties in Harare and Bulawayo has been charging rent in foreign currency which is illegal in Zimbabwe. The tycoon demanded six months rent payment in foreign currency from his tenants.
It is people like van Hoogstraten, who are making the situation worse in Zimbabwe. It is now difficult to get a property to rent in Harare, and even when you get it it’s also very expensive. Zimbabweans are paid their wages in Zimbabwe dollars, so why make them pay rent in foreign currency.
Van Hoogstraten will appear in court on Monday to face charges of violating exchange control rules and will also face charges linked to pornographic material found in his house.
He is also said to have significant investments on the Zimbabwe stock exchange and also 600 000 hectares of land whilst the many Zimbabweans have no land of their own.
Van hoogstraten was once jailed for four years in the sixties for arranging for a hand grenade to be thrown through the wondow of someone who owed him money. In 2002 he was convicted of man slaughter and sentenced to 10 years in jail after a business associate was shot and killed by ywo hired hitman. He appealed and his conviction was overturned in 2003. However in 2005 a civil court ordered that van Hoogstraten pay the murdered man’s family £6 million damages.
Multi-millionare van Hoogstraten is said to have made most of his money in Zimbabwe, thanks to his close relationship with Mugabe’s ZANU PF party. His arrest is really a big reversal in fortune.
“If you dance with the crocodiles you should be prepared for the music to stop”. Hope the government will get rid of all these corrupt business people who are enjoying life at the expense of the long suffering Zimbabweans.
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Sun, Jan 27, 2008
Zimbabwe News