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.
PHOTO: AP
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.
BACKLASH: The National Party quit its decades-long partnership with the Liberal Party after their election loss to center-left Labor, which won a historic third term Australia’s National Party has split from its conservative coalition partner of more than 60 years, the Liberal Party, citing policy differences over renewable energy and after a resounding loss at a national election this month. “Its time to have a break,” Nationals leader David Littleproud told reporters yesterday. The split shows the pressure on Australia’s conservative parties after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s center-left Labor party won a historic second term in the May 3 election, powered by a voter backlash against US President Donald Trump’s policies. Under the long-standing partnership in state and federal politics, the Liberal and National coalition had shared power
A Croatian town has come up with a novel solution to solve the issue of working parents when there are no public childcare spaces available: pay grandparents to do it. Samobor, near the capital, Zagreb, has become the first in the country to run a “Grandmother-Grandfather Service,” which pays 360 euros (US$400) a month per child. The scheme allows grandparents to top up their pension, but the authorities also hope it will boost family ties and tackle social isolation as the population ages. “The benefits are multiple,” Samobor Mayor Petra Skrobot told reporters. “Pensions are rather low and for parents it is sometimes
CONTROVERSY: During the performance of Israel’s entrant Yuval Raphael’s song ‘New Day Will Rise,’ loud whistles were heard and two people tried to get on stage Austria’s JJ yesterday won the Eurovision Song Contest, with his operatic song Wasted Love triumphing at the world’s biggest live music television event. After votes from national juries around Europe and viewers from across the continent and beyond, JJ gave Austria its first victory since bearded drag performer Conchita Wurst’s 2014 triumph. After the nail-biting drama as the votes were revealed running into yesterday morning, Austria finished with 436 points, ahead of Israel — whose participation drew protests — on 357 and Estonia on 356. “Thank you to you, Europe, for making my dreams come true,” 24-year-old countertenor JJ, whose
Two people died and 19 others were injured after a Mexican Navy training ship hit the Brooklyn Bridge, New York City Mayor Eric Adams said yesterday. The ship snapped all three of its masts as it collided with the New York City landmark late on Saturday, while onlookers enjoying the balmy spring evening watched in horror. “At this time, of the 277 on board, 19 sustained injuries, 2 of which remain in critical condition, and 2 more have sadly passed away from their injuries,” Adams posted on X. Footage shared online showed the Mexican Navy ship Cuauhtemoc, its sails furled
RSS