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Zimbabwe charges on 'toilet bomb' | Zimbabwe charges on 'toilet bomb' |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Five Zimbabwe opposition officials have been accused of bombing a kitchen in a police station and a toilet in Harare. | |
They were charged with terrorism, sabotage and malicious damage at Harare Magistrates' Court on Monday. | They were charged with terrorism, sabotage and malicious damage at Harare Magistrates' Court on Monday. |
An opposition spokesman said the case was "trumped up" as those charged "didn't know the difference between an explosive and a firecracker". | |
Nelson Chamisa told the BBC the evidence had been fabricated as an excuse to crack down on the opposition. | |
Zimbabwe's government has always accused the MDC of violence and two weeks ago said rebels were training in neighbouring Botswana. | |
The MDC in turn accuses the ruling Zanu-PF party of using violence to remain in power. | |
According to the state-run Chronicle newspaper, the accused allegedly sneaked into Harare central police station on 2 August and used explosives to blow up a kitchen. | |
They were also reportedly accused of blowing up a men's toilet near the Harare headquarters of the Criminal Investigation Department on 17 November. | They were also reportedly accused of blowing up a men's toilet near the Harare headquarters of the Criminal Investigation Department on 17 November. |
"They are charges that have been concocted by Zanu-PF, acting as if in some kind of a movie," Mr Chamisa said. | |
"The only unfortunate thing is that unlike a Hollywood film, it is playing with people's lives." | |
'Torture' | 'Torture' |
The prosecution says the five bombed Harare central police station again in November. All the alleged attacks reportedly resulted in minor damage. | The prosecution says the five bombed Harare central police station again in November. All the alleged attacks reportedly resulted in minor damage. |
You can't have a political agreement on one hand and the other you have a cat-and-mouse relationship MDC's Nelson Chamisa | |
"Clearly they are the ones who bombed those buildings... to create evidence to justify a crackdown on the opposition," Mr Chamisa said. | |
The prosecution also claims the accused detonated two bombs which blew up a 60cm stretch of rail track at Norton, near Harare, on 21 August. | The prosecution also claims the accused detonated two bombs which blew up a 60cm stretch of rail track at Norton, near Harare, on 21 August. |
The five are reportedly Movement for Democratic Change members, including Emmanuel Dhlamini, a former police superintendent, who the Chronicle says is MDC's head of security and intelligence and Gandi Mudzingwa, a personal adviser to Mr Tsvangirai. | |
The Chronicle reported that the court had allowed the five to be medically examined after they claimed they had been tortured in police custody. | The Chronicle reported that the court had allowed the five to be medically examined after they claimed they had been tortured in police custody. |
Mr Chamisa said it was part of Zanu-PF's campaign of intimidation and it revealed the ruling party's insincerity about sharing power. | |
The two parties signed a power-sharing deal in September, but progress has since stalled over who should control key ministries. | |
"You can't have a political agreement on one hand and the other you have a cat-and-mouse relationship... trumping up charges against those people you are supposed to be working with in government," he said. | |
Zimbabwe has been crippled by the stalled power-sharing negotiations, as well as a cholera epidemic which has spread quickly amid the country's economic meltdown. | |
Mr Tsvangirai has threatened to pull out of talks on power-sharing unless the abduction of MDC officials stops. | Mr Tsvangirai has threatened to pull out of talks on power-sharing unless the abduction of MDC officials stops. |
He says some 200 MDC activists were killed and many thousands forced from their homes in a series of attacks on his supporters ahead of elections in June. | He says some 200 MDC activists were killed and many thousands forced from their homes in a series of attacks on his supporters ahead of elections in June. |
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