Mujuru's right hand man off the hook for now

State yesterday withdrew espionage charges before plea against 3 businessmen who were accused of selling state secrets to enemies of the State.

The 3 Africom directors - Farai Rwodzi, Simba Mangwende and Oliver Chiku - will, however, go on trial on the charge of flouting the Post and Telecommunications Act, after they illegally installed satellite equipment.

The Act criminalises the possession or operating a communication network without permission from the regulating authority. Harare provincial magistrate Munamato Mutevedzi remanded the 3 to January 18 next year for trial after the State indicated that investigations on the remaining charge were complete.

The defence had sought a refusal of remand on the basis that the facts on the indictment papers did not disclose an offence as alleged.

It was also argued that there was no reasonable suspicion to justify the deprivation of liberty of the 3.

Even if the Africom directors were to be remanded out of custody, the defence still felt it was deprivation of liberty.

The State conceded to the defence submissions and withdrew the espionage charge before plea.

After the State withdrew the charges, the defence successfully applied for the alteration of the trio's bail conditions.

The 3 were reporting to the police twice a week, but that condition was scrapped and they got back their passports.

The defence argued that since the espionage charge, which was more serious in terms of the penalty attracting a maximum of 25 years in prison had been dropped, there was no need for the State to hold on to the trio's travel documents.

It was further argued that the charge for which the three would face trial has a maximum penalty of $700 fine and the State is holding more than $700 in bail.