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Zimbabwe MDC man misses swear-in Mugabe plays down Bennett arrest
(about 3 hours later)
The swearing in of junior ministers in Zimbabwe has gone ahead without the MDC's Roy Bennett, who is in custody. Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe says he does not understand why the arrest of former opposition MP Roy Bennett is creating such a stir around the world.
The former farmer is the Movement for Democratic Change nominee for deputy agricultural minister in a unity government with the Zanu-PF party. Mr Bennett was chosen by the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) to serve as a junior minister, but was arrested last week and faces a terrorism charge.
His name was on a list of ministers earlier "advised" on state radio to report for the ceremony at State House. The MDC says the arrest is a plot to destabilise the government, but Mr Mugabe says it is simply a court case.
On Wednesday, a magistrate ruled there was enough evidence for him to face charges, including terrorism. Meanwhile, Zimbabwe's stock market has opened for the first time this year.
Mr Bennett - accused of illegal arms possession and terrorism - was remanded in custody until 4 March. It traded in US dollars because inflation exceeding 200 million per cent has left the country's own currency virtually valueless.
The AFP news agency reported that only one firm out of more than 80 officially listed was open for business. It sold 3,026 shares for one US cent each.
Long-time rivals President Robert Mugabe and MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai last week formed a unity government after months of wrangling.
They pledged to make reviving the economy a top priority, but analysts say Mr Bennett's arrest is causing serious difficulties for the fledgling administration.
Amnesty mooted
Mr Bennett's detention was particularly controversial because he had spent more than two years in exile after police accused him of involvement in a plot to kill Mr Mugabe in 2006.
He returned to Zimbabwe to serve as junior agriculture minister in the new government - but was arrested shortly before ministers were sworn in last Friday.
He wants to be freed by the courts after a trial because he knows he did not commit the offence Trust MaandaRoy Bennett's lawyer Profile: Zimbabwe's political farmer
In what was reportedly his first public comment on the case, Mr Mugabe said: "Across the world I don't know why [it's making headlines] - it's a court case."
The development came as rumours circulated in Harare that the MDC and Zanu-PF had framed a deal to give amnesty to those accused of human-rights crimes.
The deal would also have allowed Mr Bennett to be released from jail, according to reports.
But his lawyer, Trust Maanda, told the BBC: "Bennett does not want to benefit from the sympathy of anybody by way of amnesty.
"He wants to be freed by the courts after a trial because he knows he did not commit the offence."
On Wednesday, magistrates decided there was enough evidence to charge Mr Bennett on illegal arms possession and terrorism counts and remanded him in custody until 4 March.
The charges against him have changed several times since his arrest last Friday.The charges against him have changed several times since his arrest last Friday.
The MDC has dismissed them as trumped up and wants him released, along with more than 30 other MDC supporters and activists who have been detained in recent months. The MDC, which heads the finance ministry, has been taking measures to tackle the crippled economy by paying government employees in US dollars.
MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai himself joined the unity government as prime minister last week. And Reuters quoted Mr Tsvangirai as saying he was now "engaging the South Africans" in talks about switching to the rand.
Pressure
Correspondents say the detention of Mr Bennett and the other opposition activists has raised pressure on Mr Tsvangirai to show his decision to take office was not mistaken.
The MDC's appointed Finance Minister, Tendai Biti, announced measures on Wednesday to tackle the crippled economy.
Some 130,000 government employees are to receive a monthly salary of $100 (£70) tax free, paid in US dollars.
He said soldiers and teachers have already been paid this week - and other civil servants will get their wages on Thursday.
The country has the world's highest official inflation rate - estimated by some economists at 10 sextillion percent - which has left Zimbabwe's local currency almost worthless.
Mr Bennett, who lost his property under Mr Mugabe's land reform programme, spent eight months in prison in 2004-05 for pushing a minister during an argument in parliament over transfers of land.
He recently returned to Zimbabwe after more than two years in South Africa, where he had fled after being accused in connection with an alleged plot to kill Mr Mugabe.