Zimbabwe recalls envoy to Australia over stripping, diamond smuggling charges

CANBERRA - Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to Australia, Jacqueline Zwambila, has been recalled to Harare following allegations of stripping and diamond smuggling orchestrated by Robert Mugabe.

Jacqueline Zwambila has been accused by Mugabe backers of stripping to her underwear in front of three male staff after blaming them for leaks to a state-run Zimbabwean newspaper.

According to The Age, Zwambila was posted to Australia as ambassador in February after the Movement for Democratic Change party of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai last year struck a power-sharing deal with Mugabe.

But in a sign the agreement is under strain, the pro-MDC Zimbabwe Mail yesterday hit back, claiming Zwambila was set up after discovering diplomatic bags were being used to smuggle blood diamonds into Australia.

A spokesman for the Foreign Affairs Department confirmed Zwambila had raised the media reports with Australian officials before returning home.

She was reportedly reluctant to leave and travelled only after an ultimatum from Harare. (ANI)