Zim refuses to free alleged mercenaries

SEVENTY men, including 30 Namibians, accused of trying to stage a coup in Equatorial Guinea have lost a bid in the Zimbabwean courts to have their case dismissed for lack of evidence.

But their Zimbabwean lawyer, Jonathan Samukange, said the suspected mercenaries considered their continued incarceration as a “blessing in disguise”. Samukange had launched an application for the release of the 70 men, arguing that there was no evidence that they had committed a crime under Zimbabwean laws.The suspects are facing charges of conspiracy to “commit international terrorism”; conspiracy to “overthrow the President of Equatorial Guinea Teodore Obiang Nguema Mbasogo” and for allegedly breaking a host of immigration and weapons laws in Zimbabwe.Zimbabwe alleges that the suspects tried to buy weapons from the state’s arms agency and planned to use them in Equatorial Guinea.Samukange was adamant that his clients were in possession of an agreement to buy the weapons, which they would have used to guard mines in the Democratic Republic of Congo.”It’s a blessing in disguise,” said Samukange of the decision to continue detaining the suspected mercenaries.”If they had been released they would have been extradited to Equatorial Guinea.”Samukange said in Zimbabwe there was “some semblance of the rule of law”.Prison workers who recently assaulted some of the suspects have been suspended and face criminal charges.”That will never happen in Equatorial Guinea,” said Samukange.”You will probably get a medal for murdering a prisoner”.Samukange had launched an application for the release of the 70 men, arguing that there was no evidence that they had committed a crime under Zimbabwean laws.The suspects are facing charges of conspiracy to “commit international terrorism”; conspiracy to “overthrow the President of Equatorial Guinea Teodore Obiang Nguema Mbasogo” and for allegedly breaking a host of immigration and weapons laws in Zimbabwe.Zimbabwe alleges that the suspects tried to buy weapons from the state’s arms agency and planned to use them in Equatorial Guinea.Samukange was adamant that his clients were in possession of an agreement to buy the weapons, which they would have used to guard mines in the Democratic Republic of Congo.”It’s a blessing in disguise,” said Samukange of the decision to continue detaining the suspected mercenaries.”If they had been released they would have been extradited to Equatorial Guinea.”Samukange said in Zimbabwe there was “some semblance of the rule of law”.Prison workers who recently assaulted some of the suspects have been suspended and face criminal charges.”That will never happen in Equatorial Guinea,” said Samukange.”You will probably get a medal for murdering a prisoner”.