Spy suspect freed in Zim
19/02/2005 22:00  - (SA)  

Want to know more? Answerit can help.

Zim to rule on spy case Zim to rule on spy case SA intelligence mum on spy SA intelligence mum on spy SA must ensure spy's safety SA spy 'tortured' - ISS SA spy 'tortured' - ISS SA spy in Zim 'no big deal' Zanu-PF bans chairmen for 5yrs Zanu-PF bans chairmen for 5yrs Sixth 'spy' nabbed in Zim Sixth 'spy' nabbed in Zim Zim hotels 'full of spies' Zim hotels 'full of spies'

Zimbabwe Special Report  Latest Zimbabwe Stories

Harare - An outgoing lawmaker and senior official in President Robert Mugabe's party charged with spying for South Africa has been freed by the High Court, Saturday's papers said.

Phillip Chiyangwa, until recently a provincial chairman of the ruling Zimbabwe National African Union-Patriotic Front (Zanu-PF) party, is alleged to have led a spy ring with five others including Zanu-PF party security officials, diplomats and a banker.

He was arrested on December 15 and detained pending trial, a date for which has not yet been set. High Court judge Charles Hungwe however said there was no sufficient basis to keep Chiyangwa in custody, as ordered by a lower magistrate court.

The state-run Herald said Hungwe freed Chiyangwa, who had sought a review of his case, on grounds that the information the state relied on to incarcerate him was "vague and imprecise".

"The way the magistrate handled the matter was untoward and injudicious. The language he used was overzealous," justice Hungwe was quoted by the Daily Mirror as saying.

"It has become a trend that a suspect is virtually tried, charged and sentenced by the press. The magistrate carried the media's view into the court ...the applicant is entitled to his immediate release," Hungwe said according to the Daily Mirror.

Three others accused along with Chiyangwa were convicted earlier this month by magistrate Peter Kumbawa and given sentences of between five and six years in jail.

The trio, who include a Zimbabwean diplomat, were accused of providing President Thabo Mbeki's government with information on Zanu-PF party's affairs.

The three men who were found guilty of breaching the official secrets act, a violation that carries a maximum 20-year jail sentence. All plan to appeal the verdicts.

The scandal erupted when an alleged South African spy was nabbed by Zimbabwe Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) operatives at Victoria Falls in December and under questioning revealed the names of collaborators within Zanu-PF.

Zimbabwe is holding the South African, who has been described in media reports as a white male and veteran operative.

What is this? Yahoo Digg Del.icio.us Facebook Brought to you by OUTsurance Car Insurance
	News24 Headlines on your Facebook profile		News24 on mobile