Zimbabwe’s former President Robert Mugabe left behind $10 million, 10 cars, a farm and several homes, but apparently no will, his estate revealed Tuesday.
The state-run Herald newspaper reported Tuesday that Mugabe’s daughter, Bona, registered the estate with the High court on behalf of the family. The family’s lawyers say they are still searching for a will but if one is not found, the estate will be divided between former first lady Grace Mugabe and four children.
Mugabe died in September at a Singapore hospital two years after he was forced out of office by his Zanu-PF party and the military. Mugabe has long been rumoured to have amassed a massive fortune during his 37-year rule.
A 2001 diplomatic cable sent by the U.S. Embassy in Harare and released by WikiLeaks said Mugabe was rumoured to have more than $1 billion worth of assets in Zimbabwe and overseas, which “include everything from secret accounts in Switzerland, the Channel Islands and the Bahamas, and castles in Scotland.”
News of his wealth comes days after the United Nations warned that millions of people in Zimbabwe are facing food insecurity.
“Zimbabwe is on the brink of man-made starvation,” and the number of people needing help is “shocking” for a country not in conflict, Hilal Elver, U.N. special rapporteur on the right to food, said.
