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Mark Thatcher's questioning about coup plot postponed until February
AP Worldstream
Nov 26, 2004
ELLIOTT SYLVESTER -- A magistrate on Friday postponed a court
appearance by Sir Mark Thatcher to give his lawyers time to try to
appeal a high court judgment requiring him to answer questions from
Equatorial Guinea about an alleged failed coup attempt.
Thatcher, the son of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher,
had been ordered by a high court on Wednesday to appear in magistrate's
court Friday to answer the questions under oath posed by Equatorial
Guinea.
Magistrate Helen Alman postponed the appearance until Feb. 18 to give
Thatcher's lawyers time to appeal the high court ruling.
"We are currently drafting our appeal to address various errors in
the judgment and contend strongly that we have a good prospect for
success," said Peter Hodes, an attorney for Thatcher.
The postponement of the questioning about the coup came one day after
another magistrate postponed the start of Thatcher's trial in a South
African court on charges he helped finance a foiled coup attempt in
oil-rich Equatorial Guinea until April 8 for further investigation.
Magistrate Awie Kotze granted the delay at the request of
prosecutors. He also extended Thatcher's bail conditions, which require
that he remain in the Cape Town area and report daily to police.
Thatcher, who has lived in South Africa since 1995, was arrested at
his suburban Cape Town home on August 25 and charged with violating
this country's anti-mercenary laws.
He also faces charges in Equatorial Guinea, where 19 other defendants
are already on trial in connection with an alleged plot earlier this
year to overthrow President Teodoro Obiang Nguema, who has ruled
Africa's third-largest oil producer for the past 25 years. Officials
there have said they will seek Thatcher's extradition from South
Africa.
Equatorial Guinea alleges Thatcher and other, mainly British,
financiers worked with the tiny country's opposition figures, scores
of African mercenaries and six Armenian pilots in a takeover attempt
foiled in March. Thatcher maintains he played no part in the alleged
conspiracy.
Simon Mann, a former British special forces commander accused of
masterminding the plot, was arrested and convicted with 67 accused
accomplices in Zimbabwe on weapons and other minor charges. Three
others later pleaded guilty to violating South Africa's Foreign
Military Assistance Act as part of a plea bargain under which
they agreed to give evidence in court against other alleged coup
participants.
AP Worldstream
Nov 26, 2004
ELLIOTT SYLVESTER -- A magistrate on Friday postponed a court
appearance by Sir Mark Thatcher to give his lawyers time to try to
appeal a high court judgment requiring him to answer questions from
Equatorial Guinea about an alleged failed coup attempt.
Thatcher, the son of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher,
had been ordered by a high court on Wednesday to appear in magistrate's
court Friday to answer the questions under oath posed by Equatorial
Guinea.
Magistrate Helen Alman postponed the appearance until Feb. 18 to give
Thatcher's lawyers time to appeal the high court ruling.
"We are currently drafting our appeal to address various errors in
the judgment and contend strongly that we have a good prospect for
success," said Peter Hodes, an attorney for Thatcher.
The postponement of the questioning about the coup came one day after
another magistrate postponed the start of Thatcher's trial in a South
African court on charges he helped finance a foiled coup attempt in
oil-rich Equatorial Guinea until April 8 for further investigation.
Magistrate Awie Kotze granted the delay at the request of
prosecutors. He also extended Thatcher's bail conditions, which require
that he remain in the Cape Town area and report daily to police.
Thatcher, who has lived in South Africa since 1995, was arrested at
his suburban Cape Town home on August 25 and charged with violating
this country's anti-mercenary laws.
He also faces charges in Equatorial Guinea, where 19 other defendants
are already on trial in connection with an alleged plot earlier this
year to overthrow President Teodoro Obiang Nguema, who has ruled
Africa's third-largest oil producer for the past 25 years. Officials
there have said they will seek Thatcher's extradition from South
Africa.
Equatorial Guinea alleges Thatcher and other, mainly British,
financiers worked with the tiny country's opposition figures, scores
of African mercenaries and six Armenian pilots in a takeover attempt
foiled in March. Thatcher maintains he played no part in the alleged
conspiracy.
Simon Mann, a former British special forces commander accused of
masterminding the plot, was arrested and convicted with 67 accused
accomplices in Zimbabwe on weapons and other minor charges. Three
others later pleaded guilty to violating South Africa's Foreign
Military Assistance Act as part of a plea bargain under which
they agreed to give evidence in court against other alleged coup
participants.