The Daily Telegraph
By Peta Thornycroft in Zimbabwe and Sebastien Berger
15 October 2009
Zimbabwe’s unity government has been plunged into crisis after the former opposition Movement for Democratic Change staged a boycott following the jailing of its treasurer Roy Bennett.
Mr Bennett has been remanded in custody on terrorism charges widely seen as spurious.
Morgan Tsvangirai, the prime minister and MDC leader, cancelled the weekly meeting of the council of ministers, which works in parallel with the cabinet, and did not go to his office.
Tendai Biti, the finance minister and MDC secretary-general, said: “We will not be taking part in any official functions at present. The prime minister has cancelled the council of ministers meeting and we will be meeting as a party in the morning to discuss this.”
There is outrage within the MDC that Mr Bennett, who has not yet received a copy of the formal charges against him, was sent for trial in the high court, prompting his automatic re-arrest in the eastern city of Mutare, despite a court order compelling the state to start proceedings against him or release him.
Johannes Tomana, the attorney-general, is loyal to Robert Mugabe and was appointed to the post by the president. Mr Bennett was first arrested in February when he arrived back in Harare from exile to take up the post of deputy agriculture minister in the coalition government, formed after months of talks following an election wracked by violence.
Then, it took him a month to be given bail. He has never been sworn in to his post.
David Coltart, the education minister who was speaking on behalf of the MDC faction led by Arthur Mutambara, said it condemned Mr Bennett’s detention “unreservedly”.
“While we believe in the rule of law, the manner in which this case has been handled is a direct assault on the spirit of the global political agreement and Zanu PF’s conduct will seriously undermine efforts to make this fragile agreement work,” he said.
There is a groundswell of protest growing within the MDC at the authorities’ handling of the Bennett case. “The state has had eight months to prepare for his case, they have done nothing because the police have no evidence and no witnesses,” said a Harare lawyer who has followed the case. “It is malicious and indefensible.”