Zim govt struck a deal with British mercenary to buy his Boeing 727 for $1

The Zimbabwean government struck a deal with British mercenary Simon Mann to buy his Boeing 727 aircraft for $1 as a condition for his release from prison.

According to court papers, Mann could have tested freedom earlier had the deal to sell his aircraft for Z$100 000 to the Zimbabwean government in return for his freedom materialised. The Z$100 000 was equivalent to $1 at that time, the Daily News reported.

Lawyers from Venturas and Samkange Legal Practitioners yesterday secured a High Court order from Justice Nicholas Mathonsi to appeal against his conviction at the Supreme Court.

Jonathan Samkange said he was optimistic his client will get back his plane and the $180 000 that was confiscated by the Zimbabwean government upon Mann's arrest in 2004.

Samkange said Mann could not appeal against conviction at the time because he was still negotiating with the Attorney General over the deal to sell Mann's plane for his freedom.

Under the deal the Zimbabwean government would have ensured Mann's release and fly him straight to London and not hand him over to Equatorial Guinea where he faced a lengthy jail sentence.

According to Samkange the Zimbabwean government failed to meet the agreement and since Mann later served his sentence, he is now entitled to get his plane and money back.