Treason Trial of Zimbabwe Opposition Official, Tendai Biti, Postponed Until November

The treason trial of Zimbabwe opposition official, Tendai Biti, was on Wednesday postponed to 17th November after the defense challenged the authenticity of a subversive document allegedly authored by the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) secretary general.

The MDC said that a Harare magistrate adjourned the case to allow the prosecution to carry out further investigations following defense claims that the main evidence in the trial was a forged document written by state security operatives to tarnish Biti’s image.

Biti was arrested on 12 June on his return from South Africa where he had sought refuge after police accused him of authoring the alleged document which spelled out plans by the MDC to topple President Robert Mugabe from power.

The MDC has denied the existence of the document and accused Mugabe’s ruling ZANU PF of fabricating charges against senior opposition officials as part of a grand scheme aimed at silencing opponents.

Biti is also accused of “publishing falsehoods” after he announced parallel results of disputed presidential elections in March, which were won by MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai.

The results released by Biti showed that Tsvangirai had won by more than the 50 percent required to avoid a second round, sharply contradicting the official tally which showed that the opposition leader did not win by a clear majority.

A second round was subsequently held on June 27, with Mugabe winning unopposed after Tsvangirai boycotted in protest at a campaign of violence against his supporters.

Biti faces the death penalty if convicted of the charges against him.

Source African Press Agency

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