A judge on Monday acquitted Roy Bennett, a top aide to Zimbabwe Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, of all charges in a terrorism case that had strained Zimbabwe’s struggling coalition government since it was forged more than a year ago.
Bennett had faced weapons and insurgency charges that could have carried the death penalty stemming from an alleged plot to topple long-time President Robert Mugabe.
Bennett’s supporters, including Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, maintained the charges were baseless and aimed at undermining the coalition.
“Justice has been done,” said Beatrice Mtetwa, Bennett’s lawyer, after Monday’s ruling. Bennett, surrounded by supporters, said: “I’m feeling good.”
Judge Chinembiri Bhunu Part ruled that the most important evidence presented by prosecutors — an alleged confession from an arms dealer — was inadmissible.
The judge also ruled that prosecutors had failed to prove that emails allegedly linking Bennett to the arms dealer were genuine.
“Having carefully considered the facts, I come to the conclusion that the state has failed to prove a prima facie case. The accused is accordingly found not guilty,” said Bhunu.
The acquittal could open the way for Bennett, a popular member of Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change party, to be sworn in as deputy agriculture minister in the coalition.
Bennett was arrested on February 13 2009, the day the unity Cabinet was sworn in.
Tsvangirai cited Bennett’s “malicious prosecution” as one of the reasons he briefly withdrew from the coalition government last year.
Deep divisions still remain in Zimbabwe’s government, which was forged as a compromise after disputed national elections in 2008. — Sapa-AP