HARARE - Zanu (PF) is working over time to try and secure the conviction of MDC Treasurer General Roy Bennett The main stumbling block is the lack of any credible evidence. Attorney General Johannes Tomana and Defence Minister Emerson Mnangagwa have, according to sources, been tasked with manufacturing the evidence. Already numerous trips have been made to Mozambique, allegedly to convince certain unnamed ‘witnesses’ to testify.
President Robert Mugabe has already told his top aides there is no way he will swear in a dispossessed white commercial farmer into government and have him serve as Deputy Agriculture Minister especially given his violent land reform exercise. Several months ago, Mugabe lost his cool telling Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara, that Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai had to find someone else for the ministerial post. ‘What is so special about Bennett?’ he fumed. Tomana, a former soldier, is responsible for ensuring Bennett is either convicted or the state manages to drag the case for long enough to outlive the unity government.
According to sources, all the judges who are likely to hear the case have already been given instructions on how to proceed in dealing with the matter, especially given the intense international media coverage. Justice Chinembiri Bhunu, who is currently presiding over the case, has already been asked by the defence to recuse himself following several judgment u-turns that betrayed the fact he was getting orders from above.
Defence lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa said justice Bhunu should step aside because of comments he made in 2006 that appeared to show he already believed the prosecution claims.
During a recent interview on Cable News Network (CNN) Mugabe claimed Bennett could not be sworn in because he is facing serious charges. MDC Secretary General and current Finance Minister Tendai Biti however still has treason charges hanging on his head but was sworn in all the same.
Post published in: News