Wanted former Zimbabwean opposition MP Roy Bennett is believed to have fled to South Africa, Harare’s Herald newspaper reported on Wednesday.
Bennett — sought by police in connection with the recent discovery of an arms cache in Mutare — was said to have skipped the country via Mozambique.
The paper’s website said he apparently slipped out through undesignated entry points along the Zimbabwean-Mozambican border, used by criminals to smuggle stolen cars.
Police spokesperson Wayne Bvudzijena would not confirm this, saying investigations to establish the whereabouts of Bennett were continuing.
Bennett was released from prison last year after serving a one-year sentence for pushing Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa in Parliament in 2004.
He had since allegedly been part of a group that conspired to obtain weapons to unseat the Zimbabwean government.
Bennett, member of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), was believed to have provided money for the conspirators.
Police had arrested of a number of top MDC officials and two ex-policemen since the discovery of the arms cache.
A number of police and army uniforms and rounds of ammunition had also been seized.
Prominent among the suspects picked up for questioning is Mutare North MP Giles Mutsekwa, who had already appeared before a Mutare magistrate.
Others who had appeared in court are Peter Nzungu, Wellington Tsuro, Jerry Maguta and Edwin Garikayi; MDC activists Knowledge Nyamhuka, Thando Sibanda and Peter Michael Hitschmann.
They were remanded in custody to Wednesday. All were being charged with violating the Public Order and Security Act – Sapa