Lawyer fears for coup suspect Simon Mann

By Tererai Karimakwenda
23 January, 2008

The dramatic saga involving coup plot suspect Simon Mann has continued as rumours spread that the 55-year old former British soldier may be injured and still in Zimbabwe. Mann disappeared from Chikurubi maximum security prison last Thursday after a High Court declined his appeal against extradition to Equatorial Guinea, where he faces charges of planning a coup against the dictator Obiang Nguema.
But his lawyer Jonathan Samkange said on Monday there is no proof yet that Mann is in Equatorial Guinea. He went to visit him Thursday to discuss filing an appeal to the Supreme Court, only to be told he had been taken away by the police. This led to speculation that Mann had already been deported to Equatorial Guinea. But in the absence of any documents showing what has happened, the lawyer said he fears for Mann’s safety.

It has been reported that Mann resisted being dragged from prison, demanding to see his lawyer. This has added to speculation that he may have been badly injured in the process and the government is hiding him until he recovers.

Samkange said that lawyers for Equatorial Guinea claim that Mann was flown to their country on Thursday. The authorities in Zimbabwe have also said that they deported Mann to Equatorial Guinea on Thursday after he lost his appeal against extradition. But Samkange said the government has still not produced documents that he requested which would show that Mann is indeed in Equatorial Guinea. He said for this reason he suspects foul play.

Samkange said he was going to file an appeal in the Supreme Court on Thursday to block the government from extraditing his client. But he waited until Friday when the government had promised to produce the documents proving he had already been deported. The government failed to produce the documents which should have been a prison record of his departure, a flight plan to Equatorial Guinea and immigration papers proving entry into that country.

The lawyer said the documents he demands are a matter of public record and the government should produce them. He promised to pursue every legal avenue until he determines exactly what has happened to Mann.