Posted on 04/20/2002 5:29:54 AM PDT by Clive
TREASON charges against opposition Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai and two of his senior officials face collapse as the key witness in the alleged assassination plot against President Robert Mugabe, shadowy publicist Ari Ben-Menashe, yesterday distanced himself from the case saying "it's now none of our business". Ben-Menashe had been due to appear as the state's star witness.
Tsvangirai, together with MDC secretary-general Welshman Ncube and secretary for agriculture Renson Gasela are due to appear in court on April 30 to answer the charges, which are punishable by death or life imprisonment.
The three opposition party heavyweights were involved in the talks with Ben-Menashe's public relations firm, Dickens & Madson (Canada) Inc, in a bid to secure the services of the company. The charges arise from meetings held in London and Montreal where the firm is based.
However, Ben-Menashe - a former Mossad spy involved in a number of episodes ranging from the Iran/Contra affair to the Zambian US$6 million maize scam last year - yesterday said he was no longer involved in the case and did not want to talk about it further.
"We no longer have anything to do with the MDC and Morgan Tsvangirai's case," he said in a telephone interview from Canada yesterday. "We have nothing to do with that anymore. We are now involved in doing some lobbying work for Zimbabwe abroad."
Ben-Menashe, who was in the country last week on an undisclosed mission, insisted the alleged Mugabe assassination drama was no longer Dickens & Madson's business.
"What happened in the past happened. We are not involved in legal issues. We are not working on anything to do with that case," he said.
The controversial lobbyist visited the country in February to give evidence to the police. If he remains resolved not to give evidence in person it will be a major blow to the state's case already facing problems of extra-territorial jurisdiction.
There has been speculation that Ben-Menashe would not turn up to give evidence because he wouldn't want his controversial record laid bare.
The Independent heard this week that the docket for the treason case had not yet gone to the Attorney General's office.
"I can confirm that the docket is not yet with the AG's office," said Director of Prosecutions Joseph Mishawka.
Other sources at the AG's office this week said it was imperative that the state produces other credible witnesses to bolster its case.
"He is a sitting duck to any defence lawyer in the witness box," the source said.
Asked whether he was in the country last week and if he was coming to testify in the case, Ben-Menashe again said he had nothing to do with the matter.
"I think it doesn't really matter whether I was there. I really can't comment on my travels," he said. "I want to emphasise we are not working on the Tsvangirai case."
Ahhh, that clarifies matters. They are no longer working on the Tsvangirai case. They did what they were paid to do, and now they're gone. The man said that he is doing other work for Zimbabwe now.
HA!!!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.