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Zimbabwe MP arrested over brawl | |||||
A parliamentary committee recommended on Wednesday that Roy Bennett be jailed for a year after he lunged at Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa in May. He was due to give evidence in parliament later on Thursday. His lawyer said he would have been there. Meanwhile, opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has called for the postponement of next year's elections. 'Worst attack' Mr Bennett's lawyer Arnold Tsunga told the AFP news agency: "He was going to South Africa for a meeting. He was supposed to be back at 1300 [1100 GMT]."
Mr Bennett, one of Zimbabwe's three white MPs, says he was provoked by a racist verbal attack during the debate in May. He attacked Mr Chinamasa after the justice minister called his ancestors "thieves and murderers" during a debate on land reform. But Paul Mangwana, who headed the parliamentary committee probing the scuffle, said Mr Bennett - a member of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change - had committed "the worst attack on the dignity of the parliament." "The majority voted for a custodial sentence of 15 months, with three months suspended on condition of good behaviour," he said. "The sentence should send a clear message that parliament should not be used as a boxing arena," he added.
Employees killed Under Zimbabwean law, parliament has the authority to impose prison sentences on MPs. Police spokesperson Wayne Bvudzijena said: "He is being charged with attempting to defeat the course of justice. We will be taking him to court as soon as police investigations are complete."
The farm was occupied by ruling party supporters during the government's land redistribution programme, when some of Mr Bennett's employees were killed and many severely assaulted by the militants. Mr Bennett is seeking an international court order to stop a German coffee dealer paying for the coffee taken from his farm during this time, Mr Tsunga said. Later on Thursday, parliament in Harare is scheduled to discuss the committee's recommendation.
'Opposition vibrant' Meanwhile, MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai - recently acquitted of treason charges - says he his concerned that there is not enough time before parliamentary polls next March to guarantee "free and fair elections".
Mr Tsvangirai, who has previously been critical of what he perceived as Mr Mbeki's low-key approach to Zimbabwe, said talks with the South African leader had been open and very productive. He denied that the MDC was a spent force. "The MDC is very vibrant, very strong. | |||||
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