Africa News
Zimbabwe court releases alleged coup plotters
May 24, 2011, 15:02 GMT
Harare - The High Court in Zimbabwe on Tuesday ordered the immediate release of six former army officers accused of plotting to topple President Robert Mugabe.
The alleged conspirators have been languishing in prison since 2007 despite several attempts by their lawyers to gain their release.
'It is apparent that the appellants should not have been commuted to custody,' said Justice Yunus Omerjee.
In July last year, the High Court dismissed the case on the basis that the accused had not been brought to court for trial within six months as required by the law. When state prosecutors responded by re-indicting them, the six alleged plotters appealed to the High Court to overturn it.
The six had continually denied the allegations, which accused them of a violent plot to replace Mugabe with Defence Minister Emerson Mnangagwa.
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