Seven serving and former officers of the Zimbabwe army have been charged with planning a coup d'etat against President Robert Mugabe. The men were arrested in stages, beginning on May 29, and appeared twice in closed hearings at Harare magistrates' court earlier this month.Journalists and family members have been barred from the hearings and the case has now been referred to the Harare high court, where the accused are expected to apply for bail today. A police record of the arrests said that the officers were accused of "treason" over a plot in which they aimed to overthrow Mr Mugabe and install Emmerson Mnangagwa, the rural housing minister, in his place.
The police statement accuses Albert Mugove Matapo, 40, of recruiting six others "who conspired to plot a coup to overthrow the Zimbabwe government". Mr Matapo wanted to "recruit as many soldiers as possible to take over the government and all camps and be in control of the nation after which he will announce to the nation that he was in control of government and would invite Minister Mnangagwa and service chiefs to form a government", the police record said.Another former army officer, Albert Rugowe, is accused of conspiring with his co-accused and recruiting members of the army, the air force and the police "to whom he gave some tasks in preparation of a coup". Others named are serving officers, among them Capt Shepherd Maromo and Olivine Morale, whose rank and age have not yet been established.