Bennett charged
2009-02-17 22:21
Special Report
A classical music presenter for the BBC has been arrested and is in custody in Zimbabwe.
Mutare - A Zimbabwe court on
Tuesday charged a senior MDC party official over a plot
involving terrorism and insurgency, just days after the party
joined a unity government with President Robert Mugabe.
But lawyers for Roy Bennett asked the court to drop the
charges, saying a court had thrown out similar charges in a
related case in 2006.
Bennett was charged with illegally possessing firearms for
the purposes of trying to commit acts of insurgency, banditry
and terrorism and violating the Immigration Act for trying to
leave the country illegally last Friday.
Bennett, who was meant to be deputy farm minister in the
administration, was arrested before ministers were sworn in on
Friday after entering the country from South Africa and the case
raised doubts among political analysts about the new government.
But a senior party official said the MDC may be reluctant to
quit the new unity government formed to lead the country out of
economic crisis despite Bennett's arrest.
While Bennett appeared in the eastern city of Mutare, Mugabe
chaired the first Cabinet meeting of the unity government in the
capital Harare, but details were not available.
Composed
The United States criticised the case against Bennett,
suggesting it did not bode well for the success of the coalition
government.
"I do not think it indicates any goodwill," State Department
spokesperson Gordon Duguid told journalists.
Wearing a white T-shirt and three-quarter khaki shorts,
Bennett looked composed at his court appearance.
The prosecution, with the consent of the defence, agreed
that the charges should be changed from treason to illegal
possession of firearms for insurgency, banditry or terrorism
purposes and violating immigration laws.
But the defence later argued the latest charges against
Bennett were similar to those levelled against ex-soldier
Michael Hirshmann in a related matter in 2006, which the courts
threw out. Bennett could therefore not face the same charges,
they said.
Mutare magistrate Livingstone Chipadza was due to rule on
the application on Wednesday.
- Reuters