TREASON VERDICT REPORTEDLY DEFERRED

S E C R E T HARARE 001205 SIPDIS NOFORN NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR C. COURVELLE, D. TEITELBAUM LONDON FOR C. GURNEY PARIS FOR C. NEARY NAIROBI FOR T. PFLAUMER E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/20/2009 TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM ZI MDC SUBJECT: TREASON VERDICT REPORTEDLY DEFERRED REF: HARARE 1201 Classified By: Political Officer Win Dayton Under Section 1.5 b/d ¶1. (SBU) MDC President Morgan Tsvangirai's lawyers informed the Embassy July 20 that the High Court had advised them that day that judgment in Tsvangirai's treason trial would not be rendered July 29, as earlier expected. The court did not indicate a new date for the judgment's release or a reason for the postponement. ¶2. (S/NF) COMMENT: Sensitive reporting (septel), corroborated indirectly by outside sources, suggested that the GOZ had wired a guilty verdict and death sentence. The postponement may suggest that the GOZ is deliberating further on the matter and could be open to outside pressure. In any event, a deferred decision continues to serve ruling party purposes by absorbing the MDC leader's attention and resources and publicly reinforcing the opposition's apparent impotence. SULLIVAN