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