Prison for Zimbabwe spies

[emad]

Andrew Meldrum in Pretoria
Thursday February 10, 2005
The Guardian

Three prominent Zimbabweans with close ties to President Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF party have been jailed after being convicted of spying for South Africa.

The case has exposed the widening cracks between Mr Mugabe and the South African government.

Zimbabwe's ambassador-designate to Mozambique, Godfrey Dzvairo, was sentenced to six years in prison, while five-year terms were given to Itai Marchi, Zanu-PF's director for external affairs, and bank director Tendai Matambanadzo.

Two others are still on trial accused of spying, including Philip Chiyangwa, a flamboyant MP and alleged ringleader. The fifth suspect is Kenny Karidzo, Zanu-PF's top security officer.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/zimbabwe/article/0,2763,1409560,00.html

DID they have Riggs bank accounts that gave them away????

[DulceDecorum]

1. Britain is trying to pull its pants back up.

If it emerged in court that senior government officials had helped the plotters, it would sour Zimbabwe's propaganda triumph in foiling an alleged coup and upholding African solidarity.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/zimbabwe/article/0,2763,1259839,00.html

[muriel_volestrangler]

2. What has the original story got to do with Britain?

It's about South Africa and Zimbabwe. Why do you link to a completely unrelated story?

[DulceDecorum]

3. Everyone's a spy in Zimbabwe,

even a sexually confused athlete.

Sithole himself says he was born with two sets of sexual organs, but a traditional healer had prescribed herbs that made the male set disappear.
Unfortunately, his parents only paid half the fee, resulting in the reappearance of his masculinity. Had the authorities allowed him to pay the other half before arresting him, he would have become all woman again, he explained.
"That's a typical spy's story," Solly scoffed. "You can't fool us. It is also an insult to our revered President Mugabe, who likes men to be men and can't bear the idea of men being something else, especially women.
http://www.capetimes.co.za/index.php?fSectionId=333&fArticleId=2405156

OK, OK,
I WILL TAKE THE QUESTION SERIOUSLY.

February 07 2005
Zimbabwe is also alleged to be holding a white South African intelligence agent believed to be linked to the spy ring.
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=68&art_id=qw1107775981395B252

Neighbouring South Africa has a considerable influence on Zimbabwe. Critics of President Robert Mugabe want it to put more pressure on him.
South Africa has not commented on the reported arrest of one if its intelligence agents in Zimbabwe, who was allegedly running the spy ring.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4249251.stm

The last time South Africans were arrested in Zimbabwe,
they turned out to be mercenaries hired by Mark Thatcher.

[DulceDecorum]

4. Is someone planning another coup?

A 42-year-old Zimbabwean banker, Tendai Matambanadzo has told how he was given thousands of US dollars for information on likely successors for his country's president, Robert Mugabe, the Sunday Times reported.

Matambanadzo said the South African spy he worked with was known to him under the alias of Andrew Brown.

He claimed that Brown told him he was a risk management consultant. Brown also said to him that none of the information he sold was state secrets.

Brown is a 48-year-old white man who lives in a suburb east of Pretoria.
http://iafrica.com/news/sa/497916.htm

[emad]

5. Watch the Riggs bank. There may be something in this new coup

biz...