Maravi

(TALKZIMBABWE) Bennett indicted, to stand trial

Bennett indicted, to stand trial
Mutsawashe Makuvise
Wed, 14 Oct 2009 15:59:00 +0000

A ZIMBABWEAN court on Wednesday ordered the detention of Roy Bennett, a senior official in Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's MDC-T party, and ruled he should stand trial on terrorism charges.

"He has been indicted. The natural consequence is he will be in custody until he makes a bail application in the High Court," state prosecutor Chris Mutangadura told Reuters news agency after the court appearance.

Ruling magistrate Lucy Mungwari announced the trial will begin on October 19 in the High Court of Mutare and said: "The accused person shall be committed to prison" until it begins.

He will have to reapply for bail on Monday.

He is accused of possessing arms for the purposes of banditry, terrorism and inciting acts of insurgency.

He was arrested on February 13 as the new cabinet was sworn in and charged with plotting to overthrow President Robert Mugabe. The charges were later downgraded to possession of weapons with the intention to commit sabotage, banditry and insurgency.

Under Zimbabwean law, a person indicted for trial is automatically taken into custody and has to apply for bail. Zimbabwe's highest court, the Supreme Court, freed Bennett earlier after he spent a month in custody.

Bennett has been an MP since 2000.

He was jailed in 2004 after punching Justice Minister Prick Chinamasa in parliament during a heated debate about land reform.

After being accused of links to an alleged plot to kill President Mugabe in 2006, he fled to South Africa, saying he feared for his life.

Labels: COURTS, ROY BENNETT, TREASON

posted by MrK @ 5:52 PM