As the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party had feared, magistrate Lucy Mungwari agreed to an application by the state to have Mr Bennett indicted and tried at the High Court.
Armed riot police were on the streets of the eastern city of Mut
are – where the ruling was delivered – from early yesterday, fearing unrest. Mr Bennett, a white former coffee farmer from the mountainous Chimanimani district, is hugely popular with local MDC supporters and is fluent in the Shona language.
"The state has been successful in their application to indict him, so they've locked him up," said Pishai Muchauraya, a local MDC MP, who was at the court for the ruling.
Mr Bennett's trial will now begin on Monday.
The former MP faces flimsy charges of possessing weapons to commit acts of banditry. The charges date back to 2006, when a number of MDC officials were arrested in Mutare and accused of plotting to unseat President Robert Mugabe.
The officials were all later released, apart from a white arms dealer who was sentenced to three years in jail.
Mr Bennett's defence team says the case against him is weak. Eight months after the MDC treasurer was arrested, the state still has not provided key documents which are needed for a trial, including a charge sheet and witness statements.
