Zim puts ‘mercenaries’ in leg irons after plot

HARARE – Zimbabwean authorities have ordered 70 accused mercenaries to remain in leg irons around the clock after learning of a plot to spring them from jail, state lawyers said on Monday.

The group has been held at the Chikurubi high security prison complex in Zimbabwe’s capital Harare since being arrested in March on suspicion of plotting a coup in Equatorial Guinea. They are charged with conspiring to topple the government of Equatorial Guinea President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo as well as immigration, firearms and aviation offences.”On Friday at about 1 am (2300 GMT, Thursday) senior officials and other officials came to the prison and ordered that the prisoners should be in leg irons.There were plans to spring the prisoners out of Chikurubi,” state lawyer Lawrence Phiri told a court inside the complex.”The authorities saw fit that they should be kept in leg irons until further notice, given that it would be easier to spring someone out of prison that did not have leg irons,” he said.He gave no more details on why authorities believed there was an escape plot.Defence lawyers say the men are not mercenaries and were en route to the Democratic Republic of Congo to provide mine security.- Nampa-ReutersThey are charged with conspiring to topple the government of Equatorial Guinea President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo as well as immigration, firearms and aviation offences.”On Friday at about 1 am (2300 GMT, Thursday) senior officials and other officials came to the prison and ordered that the prisoners should be in leg irons.There were plans to spring the prisoners out of Chikurubi,” state lawyer Lawrence Phiri told a court inside the complex.”The authorities saw fit that they should be kept in leg irons until further notice, given that it would be easier to spring someone out of prison that did not have leg irons,” he said.He gave no more details on why authorities believed there was an escape plot.Defence lawyers say the men are not mercenaries and were en route to the Democratic Republic of Congo to provide mine security.- Nampa-Reuters