The failings of auditors

WPP is in hot water as its Zimbabwean subsidiary, Imago Y&R, has been managing the advertising for Robert Mugabe's election campaign. One would have thought that the name of the woman in charge of the agency, one Sharon Mugabe, may have give Sir Martin Sorrell second thoughts about getting involved in the business. He assured attendees of the WPP AGM at Claridges yesterday that independent auditors had confirmed to WPP that Ms Mugabe was neither related to nor working for her namesake. ZimDaily believes she is in fact his niece: daughter of his brother who was assassinated by the Zim secret service for sleeping with Mugabe's wife Sally (now deceased). Sir Martin described the situation as "embarrassing and totally unacceptable." This does not stop him from doing business with Mugabe though: she is trying to get a flight to London so she can buy WPP's 25% stake in the agency for "a nominal consideration."