Zim 70 split as five are moved
2004-05-01 07:25
Erica Gibson
Pretoria - Five of the 70 South Africans being held at the maximum security Chikurubi Prison outside Harare, on allegations that they planned to overthrow the Equatorial Guinea government, have been moved amid fears of a break-out plan.
The remaining 65 are apparently being held in leg irons in the prison.
The men were due to appear in a court room at the prison on Friday. State documents, on how to proceed with the case, were apparently not ready and the case was postponed until Monday.
Their Pretoria attorney, Wilna Lubbe, said on Friday the three flight crew, Hendrik Hamman, Niel Steyl and Ken Payne, are among the five moved to police cells somewhere in Harare.
The three apparently are being held with ordinary Zimbabwean prisoners.
Lubbe said: "We believe it is a ploy by the government to drag out the case."
Equatorial Guinea has asked for the men
She said the families of the prisoners were compiling a petition to be handed to President Thabo Mbeki.
This comes after the Zimbabwean government announced this week it had been asked by Equatorial Guinea to hand the men over to them.
Another 14 men, including seven South Africans, are being held on the same charges in Equatorial Guinea.
Lubbe said the families would ask Mbeki to get involved and try to have the men handed over to South African authorities.
"There is nothing that prevents two governments from asking for the men to be handed over.
"Just because Equatorial Guinea has asked this, does not mean that South Africa can't ask to have the hearings held locally.
"Zimbabwean extradition law makes provision for this."
The Democratic Alliance asked the South African government on Friday to ensure that the men received a fair trial.
Sheila Camerer, the DA's spokesperson on justice, said everything pointed towards the South African intelligence services having told the Zimbabwean government of the group's plans.
They face death penalty and abuses
The South African government should also accept responsibility for the men's plight.
She said the government was now being hypocritical in its move to wash its hands of the men who faced the death penality and human-rights abuses in Equatorial Guinea.
The DA was not making excuses for alleged soliders for hire, but the men were innocent until found guilty in a fair court.
South Africa had the best laws and a thorough legal process under which to try the men, she said.
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- Beeld