The high treason trial of Zimbabwe’s main opposition leader was to go into closed session on Wednesday to enable the court to question the key state witness over details of a deal he signed with the government.
The deal was signed weeks after witness Ari Ben Menashe secretly videoed Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), allegedly seeking help to ”eliminate” President Robert Mugabe.
Defence lawyers representing Tsvangirai and two senior MDC officials sought to question Ben Menashe, a Canadian-based political consultant, about the contract. The government tried Mondat to block the revelation of details of the contract arguing that it would prejudice state security.
It took two days for Judge Paddington Garwe to make a ruling on the matter after Ben Menashe refused to answer questions on the contents of the deal saying he was bound by a secrecy agreement.
”I am satisfied that in appropriate cases, the court can make enquiries… and order proceedings to be held in camera (in private),” Garwe finally ruled on Wednesday. ”The proceedings on this matter can be held in camera.”
The MDC trio stand accused of plotting to assassinate Mugabe ahead of presidential elections last year. The charges are based on the contents of the video tape, secretly made by Ben Menashe, of a meeting he held with Tsvangirai in Canada in December 2001.
A few weeks later on January 10, 2002, Ben Menashe signed a contract with Zimbabwe to help spruce up the image of the southern African government.
The MDC officials deny the charges, which carry the death penalty on conviction, and say that they were set up. Defence lawyers want to determine whether or not the deal Ben Menashe signed with the government was payment for a ”trapping exercise”.
The court was on Wednesday morning cleared of journalists, diplomats and members of the public to allow the trial to continue with just the accused, their lawyers, the state prosecutors, the witness, the judge and his assessors.
The hearing will take place in private until Ben Menashe finishes giving evidence on the contract. – Sapa-AFP