Treason trio in custody till March 25

Three members of a Zimbabwe secession advocacy group who were arrested for allegedly plotting to overthrow President Robert Mugabe's government have been remanded in custody till March 25.

The three - Paul Siwela, John Gazi and Charles Thomas - who are all members of the Mthwakazi Liberation Front (MLF), are facing charges of plotting to overthrow Mugabe's government after one of them was arrested while distributing the group's literature.

Upon arrest, police discovered pamphlets they argue urged members of the security forces to take up arms and revolt against Mugabe's government. They also discovered some pamphlets that allegedly urged members of the public to demand the division of Zimbabwe into two.

Handing down a ruling on the three's request to be placed on remand, Bulawayo magistrate John Masimba said the state's case, as presented by the prosecution, was strong and could lead to a successful conviction of the trio during full trial.

"The defence claims the fliers were not treasonous in terms of the message they carried. I beg to differ," Masimba said.

He added: "The fact that someone was distributing fliers that urged members of a national army to take up arms and join the Mthwakazi Liberation Front, is itself treasonous. It means that the one distributing and others he works with are advocating for the removal of a legitimately elected government. In terms of the law, that is treason," he added.

He also said what further complicated the defence's case was that the accused also urged members of the public to revolt against the Mugabe government.

"Urging the public to rise up against the government is tantamount to urging lawlessness that could result in the removal of a legitimately elected government. This is also treason," Masimba said.

He added in closing: "I am convinced that the state's case is strong and can result in successful conviction of the accused during a full trial."

Defence attorneys argue the state's case is frivolous and baseless.

Meanwhile, in Harare, International Socialist Organisation boss and former legislator, Munyaradzi Gwisai, who is also facing treason charges, is now expected to appear in the Harare High Court on March 16 for a ruling on bail.