By JASON TRAHAN – jtrahan@dallasnews.com
Published: 14 January 2012 10:31 PM
U.N. report: Last month, the United Nations released a report detailing how Houston oil tycoon Kase Lawal, who sits on one of President Barack Obama’s trade committees, and Mutombo, formerly of the Houston Rockets, tapped Houston diamond merchant Edward “Carlos” St. Mary to take a team to the Congo to retrieve the gold. The plane was detained for weeks until it was released by Congolese authorities.
An account of the botched transaction is part of a wider U.N. investigation of illegal minerals smuggling from vast mines controlled by warlords accused of committing mass rape and other humanitarian atrocities. Lawal, through lawyers, told U.N. investigators that he did nothing wrong. Mutombo did not respond to multiple messages from The Dallas Morning News. St. Mary has been cooperating with authorities, though no charges have been filed against anyone.
Southlake connection: The Gulfstream V jet that was detained in Africa belongs to a subsidiary of Southlake businessman David Disiere. Disiere’s company leased the multimillion-dollar jet to a Lawal subsidiary. Disiere’s spokesman has said that he had no involvement in, or knowledge of, the Congo trip. The U.N. report does not dispute that.
Court date in Dallas: Disiere’s company alleges in a Dallas lawsuit that Lawal’s group violated the lease agreement by using the $40 million aircraft for the ill-fated trip. A hearing in the case is set for Tuesday before state District Judge Dale Tillery in downtown Dallas.
WHEN CBNEXT CONTRIBUTES TO « SHAPE » A DEVELOPING NEWS STORY… : Well, CBNEXT live talked about A case of « Southlake Aviation’s Plane Mineral Smuggling in DR Congo » during our last September 2011 edition. I know most of my viewers remember that. Now, i’m happy we are getting the recent United Nations’ report that came out with more details and citing more names among the people involved in the case…. Here, we see the UN working on and backing stories from the REAL news casters and journalists that operate in non-traditional avenues that dominate the western preferred headlines’ news. Two things: The Houston Chronicles Paper broke the news reporting with its eastern Congo operators, CBNEXT Live developed the « underreported » news to English-speaking communities… We are definetely the few outlets that broke the news and reported on developing it. I’m glad the UN is even giving more details on the story that CNN, NBC, and other had good reason to NOT report on: This is how we can « shape the world » through media better than CNN. Check out the NEXT NEWS REVIEW’s segment in the PRESS REVIEW ( follow the first 2 press reviews talking about Diamond dealer Edward St. Marys, Crew Member Kelley Shannon and other passengers arrested in Congo for smuggling Gold out of Kivu’s borders with the help of a ICC-indicted general Bosco Tanganda. http://youtu.be/XdX1fqi98QE
I regret to hear all these things Dikembe is doing in his own country,with his position and status he could play a very good onfluence to help the country whereby his origin is but contrary to that all we hear and see is his greed and evil intentions…firstly while his country is fighting for a governement change he came down to congratulate the Rwandese president who by force he want to stay in power despise the refusal of almost 90percent of the population..secondly he build an hospital which is not serving the commun people in Congo but you only the most privilege ones because of its fees and here again he is being accused of smuggling Gold whereby he knows the population is being raped and killed like nowhere around the world without anyone defendind them!!!finally we can clearly say his motives and objectives towards his own contry is very bad!!!I honestly look down to people like him because of his intentions..he is good for nothing besides of his carreer as a basket ball man!!
Shame on Him!!! He’s a sellout!
That shows how much he really care about his own people.
Shame on him.
We are the new GENERATION the INGETA GENERATION. We are not to sell. Out of this sad example we have to lurn. LET US CHANGE OUR COUNTRY… AS I always say it takes a GENERATION to change a NATION. GospelMc