Permanent Secretary Elvis Newton says Mugabe not an economic citizen; is a national who changed name in 2007
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Homeland Security, Mr. Elvis Newton says a man, Malachi Maliki Haile Mugabe, arrested in Barbados for illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition, is a national of St. Kitts and Nevis by birth, who changed his name from Kendell Huggins.
Mr. Newton has expressed disappointment with a SKNVibes.com news story written by Mr. Stanford Conway, which stated that "Mugabe is alleged to be an African holding a St. Kitts and Nevis passport through the Economic Citizenship Programme."
Submitting a section of Mr. Mugabe’s passport application form, Mr. Newton pointed out that SKNVIBES never contacted him in his capacity as the Permanent Secretary.
"This really negates the erroneous information printed by the SKN Vibes a few days ago. Mr Mugabe was born Kendell Huggins, but changed his name on Jan 7 2005.
The Ministry is disappointed that the article was published without SKN Vibes first verifying the accuracy of the content of their story. We urge them to take corrective action by retracting the article previously published," said Permanent Secretary Newton.
News reports claim that Mr. Mugabe was caught by Customs Officers at the Grantley Adams International Airport with a firearm and a quantity of ammunition.
The Barbados NationNews.com reported that Malachi Haile Mugabe was arrested and charged on December 17th with illegal possession of a firearm, illegal possession of 59 rounds of ammunition, importation of a firearm without a valid licence and importation of ammunition without a valid licence after he arrived in Barbados by air from Trinidad on December 16th .
SKNVIBES without contacting the relevant authorities in St. Kitts it is based stated its sources allege Mugabe "to be an African holding a St. Kitts and Nevis passport through the Economic Citizenship Programme."
SKNVIBES claims its "sources opined that this points to the need for more transparency in the Federation’s Economic Citizenship Programme if Mugabe is indeed an economic citizen, because the name of St. Kitts and Nevis and the Programme would be severely injured when situations of such nature arise. They also opined that Mugabe may well be a native of St. Kitts and Nevis bearing an African name, and it is incumbent upon the authorities to inform the nation if he is a citizen by birth, descent or by investment. If by purchase, the sources are advising that in the public’s interest the authorities should immediately revoke his citizenship.