Zimbabwe’s MDC treasurer general, Roy Bennett, walked a free man Monday after a High court judge acquitted him of treason and banditry charges. Justice Chinembiri Bhunu ruled in favour of Bennett and said the state failed to provide enough evidence to prosecute him. In making the ruling, Justice Bhunu said the state’s case was weakened by key state witness Peter Michael Hitschmann whom he said gave unfavorable evidence.
Justice Bhunu also said evidence from another state witness, Danshed Mutsetse, a computer expert, could not be relied upon as he demonstrated lack of knowledge in his field. Mutsetse testified in the e-mail evidence that Bennett and Hitschmann purportedly used to communicate in their “terrorism plan.”
“The depth of his ignorance concerning these matters as exposed during cross examination was amazing considering he recognizes himself as a computer expert,” said Bhunu. He said Mutsetse made the mistake of identifying a fake e-mail created by the court as genuine.
Judge Bhunu said the state lacked evidence to link the MDC deputy agriculture minister designate to the alleged charges. “…….we came to the unanimous conclusion that the state has failed to prove a prima facie case against accused….thereby entitling him to be acquitted at the close of the state’s case,” ruled Justice Bhunu.
MDC has in the past reiterated that Bennett was innocent of the charges arguing that the charges are trumped up by the rival partner in the Inclusive government, Zanu PF. To date, Bennett is still to sworn in as deputy agriculture minister, a move that has been played down by President Robert Mugabe, who said the courts should clear him of the charges first.
Recent state media reports reveal that President Mugabe’s Zanu PF party is not comfortable with Bennett, a former tobacco white farmer, taking up the contentious agricultural portfolio. Most white farms were seized by Zanu PF at the height of the controversial land reform exercise. Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC, however, insists that Bennett is their deputy choice for the agricultural ministry.
