ZIMBABWEAN prime minister Morgan Tsvangirai's ally Roy Bennett went on trial accused of terrorism yesterday in a case which has stoked tensions in the unity government of Mr Tsvangirai's MDC party and president Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF.
After initial arguments, the trial was adjourned until tomorrow by High Court Judge Muchineripi Bhunu to allow time to consider applications made by the state and defence.
Bennett – whom Mr Tsvangirai wants to bring into the government – was a
rrested in February and charged with illegally possessing arms to commit acts of terrorism, banditry and insurgency, charges that carry a possible death penalty.
The state brought several cases of ammunition and rifles to be presented as evidence in the court in Harare yesterday.
Mr Bhunu will rule tomorrow on a state application to dismiss Bennett's defence outline after state lawyers argued it was improperly presented. He will also rule on an application by the defence to stop a key state witness from testifying.
Prosecutors plan to call Peter Hitschmann, a former policeman in Ian Smith's minority-white ruled Rhodesia, as a star witness. Defence lawyers argued Mr Hitschmann's testimony would contradict an affidavit and statements he made to the High Court in 2006 and he had also told his lawyer he was not prepared to be a state witness.
Mr Hitschmann was jailed in 2006 for illegal possession of dangerous weapons but the High Court threw out the more serious terrorism charges. He was released in July this year.
"I have been persecuted since I joined politics. You never know when you are going get justice," Bennett said as he left the court.
