Lawyers for Zimbabwe’s deputy Agriculture Minister-designate Roy Bennett who is facing terrorism and banditry charges have successfully negotiated with the prosecution for a postponement of the politician’s trial scheduled for early next week so that they have more time to prepare for the case.
Bennett was due to appear in court on Monday to answer charges that he wanted to destabilize President Robert Mugabe’s government in 2005 after an arms cache was alleged found at a property owned by a fellow white farmer in eastern Zimbabwe.
The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) treasurer-general, who had been on bail since May, was rearrested Wednesday after the state indicted him to stand trial.
He was released late on Friday after a High Court judge readmitted him to bail.
Defense lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa said state prosecutors had agreed in principle to the request by Bennett’s lawyers for a postponement of the trial from Monday to a later date.
Tsvangirai said on Friday the MDC would boycott the country’s power-sharing government until Bennett’s case and other sticking points are resolved.
Source African Press Agency
