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M. Continuo

Zimbabwe court asked to free opposition official


    By Nelson Banya

    HARARE (Reuters) - Lawyers for detained Zimbabweanopposition official Tendai Biti asked a court to release himunconditionally on Tuesday after police failed to bring him tocourt to face a treason charge.

    Biti, the secretary-general of the Movement for DemocraticChange, has been in police custody since he was arrested atHarare airport on Thursday as he returned home ahead of a June27 presidential election run-off.

    MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai, challenging veteran PresidentRobert Mugabe in the run-off vote, was detained and released atleast three times last week.

    Police said they were holding Biti for announcing theresults of the March 29 general elections prematurely. He facesa possible death penalty if convicted of the treason charge.

    "We are seeking a declaration of his continued detention asunlawful and for his immediate release. The application wasfiled this morning, but we are yet to be allocated a judge tohear it," defence lawyer Lewis Uriri said.

    Uriri added that it was possible that the police would laymore charges against Biti.

    Tsvangirai defeated Mugabe in the election but failed towin the absolute majority required to avoid a run-off.

    The MDC has said it doubts that Mugabe and his rulingZANU-PF will hold a fair election and accuses the government ofwaging a violent campaign designed to intimidate the oppositionand its supporters ahead of the run-off.

    At least 66 opposition activists have been killed byZANU-PF militia since the March elections, the MDC says. Mugabeblames the opposition for the violence that has causedwidespread international concern.

    Mugabe threatened on Monday to arrest MDC leaders over theviolence.

    The Zimbabwean ruler warned last week that his supporterswere ready to take up arms to prevent the African nation fromfalling under the control of the country's white minority andWestern powers.

    The 84-year-old Mugabe, in power since independence fromBritain in 1980, has branded the MDC a puppet of Britain andthe United States and vowed never to let it take power.

    A senior U.N. envoy, Assistant Secretary-General forPolitical Affairs Haile Menkerios, arrived in Zimbabwe late onMonday for a five-day visit to assess Zimbabwe's political andhumanitarian crisis before the run-off vote.

    (Writing by Paul Simao; Editing by Matthew Tostevin)