Zimbabwe orders extradition of Briton to E.Guinea

By Cris Chinaka

HARARE (Reuters) - A Zimbabwe court agreed on Wednesday to extradite a Briton to Equatorial Guinea to face coup plot charges, rejecting defence arguments he would not receive a fair trial and could be tortured.

Simon Mann, a former British special forces officer, has been held at a Zimbabwe prison since he was convicted in September 2004 of attempting to purchase weapons without a licence as part of a broader coup plot against Equatorial Guinea President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo.

Harare magistrate Omega Mugumbate issued the ruling that Mann, 54, could be extradited to the West African country to face charges, just two days before his expected release from prison in Zimbabwe.

"The extradition application is not prohibited in terms of the law. If it's granted it would not violate international law," Mugumbate said.

"(The) respondent did not prove charges of torture while (the) applicant provided prima facie case against respondent. It is hereby ordered that respondent be extradited to Equatorial Guinea."

Equatorial Guinea Attorney General Jose Ole Obono told the hearing that although his government believed Mann was the "intellectual head" of the coup plot, he would get justice.

But defence lawyer Jonathan Samkange said he would appeal because the court did not address the question of a fair trial or torture.

Mann was released on Wednesday but immediately detained at the same Harare prison under an immigration warrant for his deportation, Samkange said.