Jhb pilot arrested in Zim

2008-03-25 14:51

Johannesburg - A Johannesburg pilot arrested in Zimbabwe shortly before he was due to transport presidential hopeful Morgan Tsvangirai on his campaign trail was still in police custody in Harare on Tuesday afternoon, his employer said.

"He is at Harare central police station where he is being detained," said Wessel van den Bergh, chief executive officer of ATS aviation services.

The pilot, British citizen Brent Smythe, was due to ferry Tsvangirai to various constituencies in Zimbabwe over the next two days and was expecting to take off from an airfield north west of the city at 07:00 on Tuesday, Van den Bergh said.

He sent me an SMS just after 07:00 saying 'please help, the police have arrested me'," Van den Bergh said.

The helicopter "worth millions" was also impounded and Van den Bergh was still trying to establish why Smythe was arrested because he believed all the paperwork was in order.

He received a later SMS from Smythe saying he was at the Harare police station and the police had a notice to detain him.

Van den Bergh said the British Embassy and the South African Department of Foreign Affairs were assisting, and he was receiving information from an aide from the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, which Tsvangirai is hoping will be voted into power in Saturday's election.

Smythe's family were informed of the situation and the company had been informed that he was unharmed.

- SAPA