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Zimbabwe Judge Arrested in Bennett Case


Police in Zimbabwe have arrested a judge who granted bail this week to a jailed senior opposition official and ministerial nominee.

Authorities say provincial magistrate Livingstone Chipadze is accused of criminal abuse of his office for allowing lawyers for Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) official Roy Bennett to post bail Wednesday.

Bennett was never freed. Zimbabwe's Supreme Court granted a state appeal and suspended the judge's decision. The court ordered Bennett to be kept in custody until a date is set for his trial. He faces terrorism and weapons charges.

Bennett's case has strained relations in the new unity government between President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.

Mr. Tsvangirai had appointed Bennett to serve as deputy agricultural minister. However, authorities arrested Bennett last month, before he could be sworn in.


Some information for this report was provided by AFP.

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