Opposition minister charged with terrorism in Zimbabwe
The original charges against Roy Bennett came hours after Morgan Tsvangirai was sworn in as prime minister
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Sunday, 15, Feb 2009 11:19
A leading opposition figure and would-be member of Zimbabwe's unity government has been charged with terror offences.
Roy Bennett was due to be sworn in as deputy agriculture minister on Friday along with the rest of the power-sharing Cabinet, but was instead arrested and charged with treason.
His lawyer Trust Maanda said those charges had now been replaced with accusations of conspiracy to acquire weapons with a view to disrupting essential services.
"The police must have realised that they had no leg to stand on," he told the AFP news agency.
"Bennett is currently being interviewed by the police. He is now appearing in court on Monday facing fresh charges."
Supporters of the Movement for Democratic Change, which Mr Bennett is the treasurer of, are still outside the police station in Mutare where he is being held to demand his release.
The arrest of Mr Bennett, a white farmer who lost out during Zimbabwe's land reform programme, has placed severe strain on the three-day-old power-sharing deal between president Robert Mugabe and prime minister Morgan Tsvangirai.
Mr Tsvangirai was sworn in on Friday, ending almost three decades of sole rule by Mugabe.