/ 31 March 2006

Minister: Zim arms-cache saga ‘far from over’

Zimbabwe’s arms cache saga is ”far from over” even though the state has dropped charges against eight of the nine accused, a cabinet minister was reported as saying on Friday.

”People should not read anything into the state’s withdrawal of charges against [opposition] Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) activists before plea,” said the Manica Post newspaper, quoting Home Affairs Minister Kembo Mohadi.

Nine people, including four members of the MDC, were arrested in the eastern city of Mutare early this month after weapons were found at the home of white security expert, Michael Hitschmann.

State media claimed the MDC was behind a plot to unseat the government and cause President Robert Mugabe’s official motorcade to have an accident.

But it later emerged that Hitschmann was a registered arms dealer. The state went on to drop terrorism charges against the MDC members and four police officers who had also been arrested.

Only Hitschmann remains in custody.

”A lot of stories are now being told but the truth is that the state just withdrew charges before plea and will proceed by way of summons when the cases are ready for prosecution,” the minister told the Manica Post, which is published in Mutare.

”Our investigations are in progress and I am not at liberty to disclose how far we have gone, but I want to assure you that more suspects will soon appear before the courts,” said Mohadi.

The MDC says it has no plans to remove Mugabe violently. — Sapa-DPA