HARAREThe month of March 2010, must be the longest month for Roy Bennett,Earlier this month his lawyers, led by Beatrice Mtetwa, applied for discharge at the close of the States case, saying the state had failed to establish a prima facie case that Bennett plotted to assassinate President Robert Mugabe in 2006.
But the prosecution, led by Attorney General (AG) Johannes Tomana, opposed the application for discharge insisting it had placed enough evidence before the court to prove that Bennett had a case to answer.
Tomana said there was need for Bennett to explain why he ran away to South Africa if he had no case to answer.
The State alleges that Hitschmann was given US$5 000 by Bennett to buy weapons for use to assassinate President Mugabe. It says Hitschmann implicated Bennett in 2006 when he was arrested after being found in possession of firearms – claims the gun dealer denies, saying he was tortured into making the confessions during interrogation
at a military barracks in March that year.
We have done a good job towards establishing a prima facie case. We have established a link between Michael Peter
Hitschmann and Bennett, said Tomana as he wrapped up his argument about three weeks ago. Hitschmann was set to be the States key witness when the trial started, but was declared hostile after he rejected his statement in court.
Justice Chinembiri Bhunu is expected to deliver his decision on Wednesday this week.
Post published in: Politics