Zimbabwe

Bennett charged with plotting terror, treason charge dropped

Article published on the 2009-02-15 Latest update 2009-02-15 16:23 TU

Roy Bennett
(Photo: Reuters)

Zimbabwe police have dropped treason charges against ministerial nominee, Roy Bennett, and accused him of plotting terrorism, banditry and sabotage, according to his lawyer. The charges carry a possible ten years in jail. Being found guilty of treason could have meant the death sentence.

"They’ve found that there is no evidence for the treason charge, so they settled for a lesser offence of attempting to commit insurgency and banditry and sabotage," Bennett's lawyer Trust Maanda told RFI.

Maanda says that the new charges are less serious in terms of the possible punishment.

"It would be up to about ten years," he says. "Whereas if it was treason he could go for life or even face hanging as a punishment, as Zimbabwe still has capital punishment."

Maanda says that police claim Bennett was planning to buy arms to attacks a telecommunications station in Bromley, east of Harare.

Bennett's arrest has created new political turmoil as his party, the Movement for Democratic Change, joins the government. He was slated to take the post of deputy Minister for Agriculture.