Zimbabwe court clears Tsvangirai ally of corruption charges

Jun 28, 2011, 16:04 GMT

Harare - A court in Zimbabwe on Tuesday dismissed charges of abuse of office levelled against an ally of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, saying the state had failed to establish evidence against him.

Energy Minister Elton Mangoma was arrested in March for allegedly importing 6 million dollars (4.2 million euros) worth of fuel from a South African company that was not government-approved, to relieve a national diesel fuel shortage.

High Court Chinembiri Bhunu said Tuesday that Mangoma had acted in response to a desperate situation for the nation.

'The state failed to present evidence to show an intention of criminality. No reasonable court ... would convict the accused. The court has no option but to discharge the accused at the close of the state's case,' Bhunu told a packed courtroom.

Outside the court, members of Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) hugged and congratulated Mangoma before he talked to the press.

'I knew from the onset that this was persecution. As opposed to (President Robert Mugabe's) Zanu PF, what the MDC does is for the nation,' Mangoma said.

'But it is not over yet,' the minister added, in reference to a separate trial on charges of criminal abuse of office, which he faces next month.

State prosecutors allege that Mangoma rigged electricity meter tenders for the state power utility, Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority. He denies the charge.

Mangoma was twice arrested in March, prompting Tsvangirai to demand the end of the fragile two-year old coalition government with Mugabe. Tensions eased after regional leaders intervened in the dispute.

Mangoma's arrest came amid a wave of detentions targeting MDC supporters and officials during the early months of the year.

Charges ranged from being found with cartoons of 87-year-old leader Mugabe, to subversion for watching news clips of the Egyptian uprising in February.