Dictator's son had plans drawn up for $380m superyacht

Teodorin Obiang ordered design of yacht worth three times Equatorial Guinea's health and education bill, says watchdog.

Equatorial Guinea votes amid opposition complaints

The West African state of Equatorial Guinea voted on Sunday in elections expected to be won yet again by the veteran hardline president amid opposition charges of voting irregularities and harassment. The oil-rich state went to the polls in local and general elections whose results were for observers a foregone conclusion

Simon Mann 'held illegally' in Equatorial Guinea

A Briton accused of masterminding a failed coup in Equatorial Guinea is being held illegally and has been denied access to his lawyer since he was charged in February, a defence attorney said on Saturday. British mercenary Simon Mann was secretly deported to the West African state of Equatorial Guinea on January 31 from Zimbabwe.

Mann fingers Thatcher in E Guinea plot

A British mercenary awaiting trial in Equatorial Guinea for leading a failed 2004 coup has said the son of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was involved in the plot, the public prosecutor said on Sunday. Jose Olo said former British special forces officer Simon Mann had testified that Mark Thatcher knew all about the scheme to overthrow President Teodoro Obiang Nguema.

Thatcher shrugs off E Guinea's bid to arrest him

Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's son shrugged off Equatorial Guinea's attempts to have him arrested for his alleged role in a plot to overthrow the country, according to a newspaper report on Saturday. The West African country has issued a warrant for Mark Thatcher's arrest for his role in helping to finance and organise a coup plot.

Shackled Simon Mann names names

Wearing handcuffs and leg-irons in an African prison, the former SAS soldier who tried to overthrow the government of Equatorial Guinea in a coup d'état on Tuesday claimed the main instigator of the plot was the London-based Lebanese millionaire Ely Calil.

Simon Mann to go on trial in Equatorial Guinea

Former British special forces officer Simon Mann will go on trial in Equatorial Guinea, charged with plotting to overthrow President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, the government said on Thursday. "He will receive a fair trial with all procedural and institutional guarantees," a government statement said.

Zim court rules Simon Mann can be extradited

Zimbabwe's High Court ruled on Wednesday that a former British special forces officer could be extradited to Equatorial Guinea to face coup-plot charges, rejecting arguments that he might be tortured. Simon Mann was jailed in 2004 and was briefly released after serving his sentence in May last year.

E Guinea leader praises Mugabe land seizures

Equatorial Guinea leader Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo on Friday hailed President Robert Mugabe's land seizure drive, saying Zimbabwe's agriculture sector was one of Africa's most developed. Obiang, who arrived in Zimbabwe on Wednesday on a state visit, said his tiny but oil-rich country stood to benefit from Harare's agriculture experience.

Mugabe: Zimbabwe won't collapse

President Robert Mugabe, accusing the West of trying to push Zimbabwe into collapse, declared it would survive thanks to its people's resilience and support from Africa, state radio reported on Wednesday. Mugabe said Britain, the former colonial ruler, and his opponents sought his ouster.

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