Zimbabwe charges five for plotting against Mugabe

HARARE, June 16 (Reuters) Five men, including a former member of the Zimbabwe National Army, have been arrested and charged with treason for plotting to topple President Robert Mugabe, court papers obtained by Reuters showed today.

The five -- who all deny the charges -- appeared before a Harare High Court judge yesterday to apply for bail but the case was postponed to June 22.

Prosecutors said the group wanted to replace Mugabe with Rural Housing and Social Amenities Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa and the plot's leader, former soldier Albert Matapo, would have been prime minister.

Mnangagwa, who was not among those arrested, was unavailable for comment today but was quoted in the private newspaper The Independent yesterday as saying any suggestion he was linked to the plotters was ''stupid''.

The state charge sheet said: ''The accused wanted to use soldiers to take over the government and all camps, and be in control of the nation after which he (Matapo) would announce to the nation that he was in control of the government and would invite the Minister Mnangagwa and the service chiefs to form a government.'' Analysts say the mention of Mnangagwa's name could be part of internal fighting within the ruling ZANU-PF party, which remains deeply divided over who will succeed Mugabe.

There are two competing factions; one backs Vice President Joyce Mujuru and the other backs Mnangagwa.

Mnangagwa was a personal assistant to Mugabe in the 1970's liberation war and was previously security minister. In 2004, he was reported to have made an unsuccessful bid to become one of ZANU-PF's two vice presidents, a role which would have put him within reach of the highest office.

Prosecutors say the accused started planning the coup in June 2006.

Defence lawyer Jonathan Samkange said today the five were arrested early this month while holding a meeting to form a political party, and were not plotting to topple Mugabe.

''They are denying the charges because as far as they are concerned they never plotted a coup but were in the process of forming a legitimate political party,'' Samkange said.

Treason charges carry a death penalty in Zimbabwe.

Critics say Mugabe has tended to use coup and terrorism charges against opponents to divert attention from an economic meltdown with the world's highest inflation rate at above 3,700 percent as well as foreign currency and food shortages.

Mugabe in March this year accused some senior officials in his party of plotting to oust him with the help of his Western foes.

Reuters HK RN1939