Zimbabwe treason trial continues

Tsvangirai faces two separate treason charges

The treason trial of opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai is set to proceed after a request by his lawyers for the charges to be dropped was rejected by a High Court judge.

However, the case was dismissed against two senior members of Mr Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party secretary general Welshman Ncube and agriculture spokesman Renson Gasela.

The three were charged with plotting to assassinate President Robert Mugabe shortly before the disputed 2002 presidential elections, won by Mr Mugabe.

The case hinges on a grainy video tape made by Canadian political consultant Ari Ben Menashe, which allegedly shows Mr Tsvangirai discussing Mr Mugabe's "elimination".

Coup contract

Defence lawyer George Bizos said that Mr Ben Menashe, who is the key state witness, was of "questionable credibility" and "a notorious and demonstrable liar."

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He was subsequently employed by Mr Mugabe's Zanu-PF party as a public relations lobbyist.

The defence team says that the tape was doctored as part of a plot to entrap Mr Tsvangirai.

In his testimony, Mr Ben-Menashe said that the MDC had signed a $500,000 contract with his firm and promised $10m to the head of the air force, Air Marshal Perence Shiri, to stage a coup after Mr Mugabe's assassination.

If convicted, Mr Tsvangirai could face the death penalty.

In June, he was charged with treason for a second time and spent more than a week in police custody after calling for anti-government street protests and a nationwide strike.