Suspected Mercenaries Accused of Violations

Sixty suspected mercenaries detained in Zimbabwe have been charged with immigration and firearms violations, their lawyer said. They were among 70 men detained March 7 after authorities seized their airplane in Harare, the capital, and accused them of plotting a coup in Equatorial Guinea.

Lawyer Jonathan Samkange said today that Zimbabwean law had no provision to charge the men with plotting a coup against the government of President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo. He said they were charged with other offenses instead.

“Sixty have been charged under the immigration and firearms act. The other 10 will be charged this morning,” Samkange said. Under Zimbabwe’s immigration laws, the men can be held for two weeks before a court hearing.