Judge frees MDC’s Biti
A Zimbabwean judge has dropped charges of treason against the secretary general of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, Tendai Biti. He had faced a possible death sentence after being accused of plotting a coup against President Robert Mugabe. But Magistrate Olivia Mariga said prosecutors appeared unprepared to proceed against Mr Biti.
A Zimbabwean judge has dropped charges of treason against the secretary general of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, Tendai Biti.
He had faced a possible death sentence after being accused of plotting a coup against President Robert Mugabe.
But Magistrate Olivia Mariga said prosecutors appeared unprepared to proceed against Mr Biti.
It could be a sign that the ruling Zanu-PF wants a proposed coalition government to work, say correspondents.
Ms Mariga also ruled Mr Biti had been improperly arrested when he was detained in June, in part over a document purporting to lay out opposition plans to overthrow the government.
The document has since been widely dismissed as fraudulent.
But Ms Mariga said prosecutors could still revive the case by issuing a summons.
“God has prevailed,” Mr Biti told MDC supporters gathered at the court, according to the South Africa-based website ZimOnline.
BBC
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