Former President Robert Mugabe snubbed parliament where he was summoned to appear before the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Mines and Energy hearing into the loss of US$15 billion worth of diamonds revenue during his tenure in office.

Mr Mugabe is now expected to appear next week Monday afternoon after parliament wrote him another letter summoning him to appear.

The portfolio committee Chairperson Themba Mliswa confirmed the development.

Scores of journalists from local and international media houses had thronged parliament building to cover the former Zimbabwe strong man and Mr Mugabe was in no show.

Southern African Parliamentary Support Trust Executive Director Mr John Makamure said by failing to attend parliament as summoned, Mr Mugabe was in contempt of parliament and liable to sanction.

Mliswa has also warned that Mugabe has got to attend the next appointment:

“In view of the time we have resolved that we will write to the former President, His Excellency cde RG Mugabe to appear before us on Monday at 2PM. We appreciate that when he was in office he started cabinet at 12 O’clock, so we are not here to humiliate him. We expect him to give enough time to prepare. If he does not cooperate, parliament has powers to summon anyone,” said Mliswa.