SA denies Mbeki in $10m 'deal'

2004-05-03 21:59

Erika Gibson

Pretoria - The office of the president flatly denied on Monday claims that US$10m had changed hands during negotiations between presidents Thabo Mbeki, Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe and Obiang Nguema of Equatorial Guinea about the extradition of 70 alleged coup plotters being held in Harare.

Mbeki spokesperson Bheki Khumalo said the claims, made by an exiled Equatorial Guinean political party "make no sense".

The claims about money changing hands were published at the weekend by Severo Moto, Equatorial Guinean exiled opposition leader, on the Popular Party's website.

According to the report, Nguema paid the "bribe" in exchange for the 70 alleged coup plotters.

The report claimed negotiations between the three leaders took place during the inauguration celebrations in South Africa.

Nguema apparently came to South Africa specifically to strengthen ties with Mbeki.

Move to amend Zimbabwe extradition laws

He was apparently going to ask Mbeki to facilitate the delivery of the men to Equatorial Guinea.

These allegations come in the wake of Zimbabwe's move in the past week to amend its extradition laws so that they include Equatorial Guinea.

Nguema and Mugabe met in Bulawayo after the inauguration. It was here the extradition was apparently settled.

Meanwhile, the 70 men appeared, in leg irons, in a courtroom at Chikurubi Prison on Monday.

This came after claims last week that the men were planning to escape from the maximum-security jail.

The state was reported by Sapa-AFP on Monday to have said the men planned to break out by using an aircraft to airlift them out of the prison grounds.

On Friday, orders were given "from the highest command" that the men be held in leg irons at all times until further notice. Five of them were transferred to another prison in Harare for this reason.

Jonathan Samkange, the alleged coup plotters' Zimbabwean attorney, complained on Monday about the men being kept in leg irons in court.

He said it was not free and fair and that the hearings were turning into "a circus".

Talks being held about anti-mercenary action

Meanwhile, intelligence officials from 22 African countries gather in Luanda, Angola, this week to draw up guidelines to stop the practice of mercenaries in Africa.

One of the proposals from the Angolan intelligence services was to establish an African forum that could exchange information and co-ordinate action against suspected mercenaries.

The absence of laws against mercenaries in many countries was also addressed.

One of the problems with mercenaries, it was said, was that they often operated under the guise of fishermen, civil engineers and as political or military consultants.

- Beeld