Mark Thatcher’s trial postponed until April
By ELLIOTT SYLVESTER
AP Worldstream
Nov 25, 2004
A South African court on Thursday postponed Sir Mark Thatcher’s
trial for allegedly helping finance a foiled coup attempt in oil-rich
Equatorial Guinea until April 8 for further investigation.
Thatcher, the 51-year-old son of former British Prime Minister Margaret
Thatcher, appeared smiling and relaxed during the brief hearing. He
was not asked to plead.
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.
On Wednesday, the Cape High Court ruled Thatcher must answer questions
under oath sent by Equatorial Guinea.
Thatcher’s lawyer, Alan Bruce-Brand, said Thursday the legal team had
not yet decided whether to appeal. Earlier, he told The Associated
Press that his client would most likely answer the questions before
a magistrate on Friday.
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.