A judge ordered a bail hearing for suspects accused of trying to topple Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe to be held behind closed doors on Friday to protect the identity of the alleged ringleaders.
”This case is a very sensitive one,” High Court Judge Tedius Karwi said, granting a prosecution request to bar the media in order ”to protect certain names which have been mentioned in the case”.
”Therefore, I order that the case be held in camera and that this court be cleared of all other persons except the legal representatives,” Karwi said.
Prosecutor Lawrence Phiri had asked the judge to bar the public and press from the hearing, arguing that holding the proceedings in an open court would prejudice ongoing investigations.
”There are certain names which have been mentioned which need to be protected and other investigations are still ongoing,” Phiri said.
”Public knowledge will prejudice these investigations.”
Lawyer Jonathan Samkange argued that it was in the public interest to hold the case in an open court.
”There are names which have been mentioned maliciously and perhaps with evil intent, names like Mnangagwa,” Samkange said.
”Members of the public would like to know, for example, why Mnangagwa’s name was mentioned.”
Six Zimbabwean men, including a retired soldier, are in remand prison facing charges of plotting to topple the long-ruling Mugabe and, according to a copy of the charge sheet seen by Agence France-Presse, replace him with Rural Housing Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Mnangagwa is among those seen as Mugabe’s possible successor.
The prosecution said the alleged ringleader, Albert Mugove Matapo, a former Zimbabwe National Army officer, conspired with his co-accused and recruited various members of the security forces in preparation for the alleged coup.
Matapo allegedly planned to incite soldiers to take over the government and later declare himself interim ruler before installing Mnangagwa as president.
Samkange said his clients were not planning a coup and that they were arrested while holding a meeting to form a political party. — Sapa-AFP