A Zimbabwean court on Wednesday ordered the detention of Roy Bennett, a senior official in Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) 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.
Bennett’s detention is likely to raise renewed tension between Tsvangirai and President Robert Mugabe. The two old foes set up a power-sharing government in February after disputed elections in 2008.
Bennett is a key ally of MDC leader Tsvangirai, and the party’s nominee for deputy agriculture minister. He was arrested on February 13, as the new Cabinet was sworn in.
In terms of Zimbabwean laws, a person indicted for trial is automatically taken into custody and has to apply for fresh bail. Zimbabwe’s highest court, the Supreme Court, freed Bennett earlier after he spent a month in custody.
The MDC has accused Mugabe’s Zanu-PF of coming up with politically motivated charges against its members. — Reuters