2nd run-in for arrested pilot

2008-03-25 19:11

Harare - The Johannesburg pilot arrested in Zimbabwe on Tuesday - shortly before a flight which had been scheduled to take Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) presidential hopeful Morgan Tsvangirai to a rally - had had a run-in with authorities on Saturday over his flight plan, a party spokesperson said.

Treasurer general Roy Bennett told Sapa the party had chartered a helicopter from South Africa's ATS aviation services to fly Tsvangirai to address voters in remote areas of Zimbabwe but the pilot had not been allowed to take off from Bulawayo on Saturday on the grounds that his flight plan had not been filed "within 24 hours".

Bennett said he had been told that the helicopter was grounded when officials heard who was on board.

The party cancelled Tsvangirai's scheduled appearances and the pilot refiled a flight plan for Tuesday, said Bennett.

However, while Smythe was waiting to leave Charles Prince Airport in Harare, he and MDC official Jameson Timba were arrested, along with two airport employees who had given them a lift to the helicopter, Bennett said.

He believed that being unable to attend rallies in the crucial run up to Saturday's election was "not free and fair" as president Robert Mugabe had state-funded transport at his disposal.

He did not think they would attempt to hire a replacement helicopter as this would probably be grounded too.

- SAPA