Zimbabwe admits raiding private bank accounts

HARARE – Zimbabwe’s central bank governor admits he took money from the bank accounts of private businesses and foreign aid groups without permission to keep the country’s cash-strapped ministries running.

In a statement Monday, Reserve Bank Governor Gideon Gono said he loaned the money from the private hard currency accounts to the government. He says the accounts will be reimbursed when the loans are repaid.Gono has been harshly criticised for raiding foreign currency accounts, among other questionable practices. In his statement, Gono pleaded with his detractors to ease up.Now that Zimbabwe has a new coalition government dedicated to reversing its severe economic decline, Gono says it’s time ‘to let bygones be bygones’. -Nampa-AFP