Mugabe rival acquitted of treason....

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The BBC reports:

Full story here:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3744004.stm

"Mugabe rival acquitted of treason

Tsvangirai still faces another treason charges
A court in Zimbabwe has found opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai not guilty of treason.
He was accused of plotting to kill President Robert Mugabe ahead of elections controversially won by the Zimbabwean leader in 2002.

Mr Tsvangirai always maintained that he was framed by state security agents and the judge said the evidence was not sufficient to convict him.

However, he is due to return to court next month for a second treason trial.

Before the verdict was delivered, baton-wielding riot police dispersed some 200 supporters of Mr Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).

Mr Tsvangirai's spokesman said that militants from Mr Mugabe's Zanu-PF party had been allowed to fill up the court after going in through a side entrance.

"Even the MDC's top leadership are not being allowed into court," William Bango told the BBC's Network Africa programme.

The outcome will be dependent on the political mood of Robert Mugabe and his clique

On the eve of the verdict, the authorities said the security forces had been put on high alert to prevent any disturbances after the judgement......."

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Profile of Opposition leader, Tsvangirai:
Full story:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/1870283.stm

"Profile: Morgan Tsvangirai

By Joseph Winter
BBC News Online

Morgan Tsvangirai has risen from working in a mine to becoming one of the most important political figures in Zimbabwe - even if his dreams of becoming president remain elusive.
A charismatic speaker, he is a brave man - constantly running the risk of arrest or assassination since emerging several years ago as a credible challenger to President Robert Mugabe.
Tsvangirai is a frequent visitor to the High Court

He has told his supporters that if anything happens to him, they should carry on the struggle.

As the leader of Zimbabwe's opposition, he has been called a traitor on many occasions, been brutally assaulted and been charged with treason three times.

Just before presidential elections in 2002, a mysterious video tape emerged, which allegedly showed Mr Tsvangirai discussing how to assassinate Mr Mugabe with a Canadian consultancy, Dickens and Madson.

The head of the consultancy, Ari Ben-Menashe, used to work as a lobbyist for the Zimbabwe Government and he calls Mr Tsvangirai "stupid" for even speaking to him, let alone allegedly discussing killing the president.

Mr Tsvangirai was charged and this is still hanging over his head. If convicted, he could face the death penalty............."

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Mugabe rival acquitted of treason....

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