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Mann to be extradited to Equatorial Guinea

Former British special forces officer Simon Mann gestures outside prison in this September 2004 file photo. PHOTO: AP

Former British special forces officer Simon Mann, accused of leading a coup plot to topple the government in Equatorial Guinea, is to be extradited to the oil-rich West African nation, a court ruled on Wednesday.

Mann's attorney, Jonathan Samkange, said he was shocked by the decision and lodged a notice of appeal to the High Court.

Mann, who did not appear in the downtown Harare magistrate's court, was freed from the Chikurubi maximum security prison earlier on Wednesday, but was immediately re-arrested, Samkange said.

He said he suspected Zimbabwe authorities planned to "springboard" Mann out of the country, but magistrate Omega Mugumbate further ruled Mann be kept in Zimbabwe until the appeal is concluded.

Serving a four-year prison sentence on weapons charges in Zimbabwe, he was originally scheduled for release today on grounds of good behavior.

Granting the extradition, Mugumbate ruled that Equatorial Guinea had satisfied her in its testimony during extradition hearings that Mann had a case to answer in that country on allegations of terrorism and that he intended to lead a coup attempt there.

Mann, 54, a friend of Mark Thatcher, the son of former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher, was arrested with a group of other mercenary suspects in 2004 when their plane landed at Harare airport to collect weapons bought from the Zimbabwe state arms maker.

Mugumbate said the government of Equatorial Guinea gave assurances Mann, a Briton, would not be executed or tortured. He would receive regular visits from British and South African representatives in West Africa, she said.

"His rights will be respected," she said.

Samkange told the court Mugumbate had not given full consideration to evidence of torture and abuse of prisoners in Equatorial Guinea, including reports catalogued by Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and other respected rights groups on ill treatment of coup suspects arrested there.

Mugumbate ruled Mann would meanwhile undergo urgent medical attention at the main public hospital in Harare, declining demands by Mann for private surgery for a hernia and related complications.

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