27-10-2004

Cape Town - Sir Mark Thatcher and his lawyers went to court Wednesday to wrap up their challenge to the legality of a South African subpoena to question him about a coup attempt in oil-rich Equatorial Guinea.

Thatcher, 51-year-old son of former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher, arrived at the Cape High Court with his legal team, appearing relaxed, and exchanging greetings with the throng of local and foreign media for the second day of the hearing.

Equatorial Guinea wants to question Thatcher about allegations he helped finance the coup attempt that failed earlier this year.

Thatcher´s lawyers argued on Tuesday, however, that it was unconstitutional to subpoena him to respond to those questions while he has related South African charges pending.

Thatcher´s legal representative Peter Hodes said he would be wrapping up his argument on Wednesday afternoon, allowing the state to proceed with its case.

Thatcher, a businessman who has lived in South Africa since 1995, was subpoenaed after the South African government granted an Equatorial Guinea request to question him.

Thatcher, arrested on August 25, is one of several Britons Equatorial Guinea wants to question about the allegations they financed the alleged plot to overthrow President Teodoro Obiang Nguema, who has ruled Africa´s third-largest oil producer for the past 25 years.

Could be used in an unfair trial

Nineteen people are on trial in Equatorial Guinea, including Nick Du Toit, a South African arms dealer alleged to have led an advance team for the plot.

Du Toit, the only suspect facing the death penalty, has testified that he met with Thatcher and others repeatedly in the months before the alleged coup attempt.

On Tuesday, Hodes said Equatorial Guinea´s legal system was flawed, and criticised the South African government for not acknowledging this and for allowing the request for questioning, which he said could be used in an unfair trial against Du Toit and possibly later against Thatcher.

Thatcher faces trial on November 25 in South Africa on charges of violating the Foreign Military Assistance Act by financing an illegal military action in a foreign country. He denies the charges and has said he will cooperate with authorities.

Last month Simon Mann, a former British special forces commander accused of organizing the failed coup plot, was sentenced to seven years in prison in Zimbabwe for trying to buy weapons from that country´s state arms manufacturer.

Mann´s 67 accused accomplices, arrested when their aging Boeing 727 landed at Harare International Airport on March 7, were sentenced by a Zimbabwe court to 12 months to 16 months for minor immigration and aviation violations.

Edited by Tisha Steyn


Fuente: News24 South Africa

¡Nota importante!
El contenido de los artículos publicados no refleja necesariamente la opinión de la redacción de guinea-ecuatorial.net
Véase también la declaración sobre el uso de seudónimos