Zim activists lose court bid
2009-01-09 22:15
Special Report
The US says "thugs" from Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF party killed a supporter of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and hurt several others at a weekend rally.
Harare - A Zimbabwe court on Friday refused to toss out terrorism charges against seven opposition activists, in a case that has heightened fears for a faltering unity accord with President Robert Mugabe.
"It is my view that this cannot stop the accused being placed on remand as long as there is reasonable suspicion," Magistrate Olivia Mariga said.
The activists include opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) security chief Chris Dlamini and a former personal advisor to party leader Morgan Tsvangirai.
They are accused of bombing two police stations in Harare as well as two bridges outside the capital "for the purposes of causing insurrection in Zimbabwe".
They denied the charges.
The seven were remanded in custody to January 23.
Lawyers had urged the magistrate's court to dismiss the charges saying the activists were victims of abductions who were tortured into confessing to crimes they did not commit.
The seven were among 18 opposition and rights activists detained at unknown locations, some since late October.
Among those taken away were a couple and their two-year-old toddler.
The arrest of the activists has raised fresh doubts about a September power-sharing deal signed by Tsvangirai and Mugabe, which has stalled over disputes about dividing control of key cabinet posts.
- AFP