Two members of a suspected spy ring arrested in Zimbabwe three years ago on charges of selling information about the ruling party to South Africa have been released from jail, their lawyer said on Monday.
“They were both released on Saturday and they are doing fine,” lawyer Selby Hwacha said.
“I spoke to [Tendai] Matambanadzo and he said he is fine. However, their appeal against conviction is still pending as we must make sure justice is done.”
Godfrey Dzvairo, who was then-ambassador-designate to Mozambique, banker Matambanadzo and Itai Marchi, a director in Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe’s ruling Zanu-PF party, were arrested for breaching the Official Secrets Act.
Marchi and Matambanadzo were each sentenced to five years in prison and Dzvairo for six years. He is due for release next year.
All three had been accused of being part of a ring run by businessman Philip Chiyangwa, then a provincial party chairperson. He was subsequently cleared by a court.
They were the first convictions stemming from a scandal in which six Zanu-PF members were accused of being part of an espionage ring providing neighbouring South Africa with information on the party’s affairs.
The affair came to light when an alleged South African spy, Aubrey Welken, was arrested by Zimbabwe Central Intelligence Organisation operatives in the resort town of Victoria Falls in December 2004.
Under questioning, Welken provided the names of his alleged collaborators within the ruling party.
Welken was also jailed but served only a year in prison before being deported to South Africa. — AFP