Jestina Mukoko Implicates Tsvangirai and the MDC

The latest from Zimbabwe on Jestina Mukoko:

It is about 10:30p.m. here in Zimbabwe and I received information about five minutes ago that Jestina Mukoko has finally pointed to Morgan Tsvangirai and the MDC-T as the brains behind the "banditry". I immediately put it to my source that she had obviously done this as a result f torture, both physical and psychological.

She (my source) denied this (ha ha, pull the other one). She he insists that Mukoko finally "broke" after she was told that Tsvangirai's former personal assistant and now Director of Intelligence for the MDC, Gandi Mudzingwa, had admitted under questioning that the plan was authorised by the MDC leadership.

The defence, according to the secret police, is panicking because they now know of Mukoko's admission that Tsvangirai is involved. I am almost certain that Mudzingwa did not implicate his bosses and that this was put to Jestina as a way of getting her to "admit" things she may well know nothing about. I know that this whole thing is cooked up. But a surprising number of my own countrymen seem to think that there is something to this case. Just visit forums frequented by Zimbabweans, including the wildly popular New Zimbabwe Forums and see what I am talking about. (It really is depressing for me to realise that some Zimbabweans seem to cheering Mugabe on here. I ask them this: tomorrow it will be you. Who will defend you when the y come for you, if you can not at least a neutral view on this?)

As I said in my post below, entitled "Mugabe prepares to arrest Tsvangirai", it appears the only reason the state is not moving to arrest Tsvangirai and Biti is because of SADC. It would look like this was being done specifically to scuttle the unity government (which the case is actually trying to do, but cleverly) if either of them is thrown into jail now, is the reasoning. 

Mukoko is also said to have "implicated" two British Foundations and one American one, quite well-known as the sources of funding for the money. She tod her interrogators that the money was channeled through an NGO in Botswana. You will obviously realise the truth of what I am saying when the trial starts, because contrary to my previous belief that the proceedings will be held behind closed doors (in camera), the CIO now say that the trial will be open to the public and they will not apply for blanket in-camera hearings. They believe they have shocking details to tell the world.

When the court comes to hear evidence about the MDC leadership, however, the CIO will apply for in-camera hearing just for those sessions "if Tsvangirai goes into government", according to my sources, because they believe that a public declaration of the MDC leadership's role in this could see them flee the country before there is a chance to arrest them.

And finally, a surprising twist. It appears that there is disagreement within the ZANU PF leadership itself when it comes to arresting Tsvangirai. The surprise is that the heir-apparent in the party, Emmerson Mnagagwa, is arguing against arresting the MDC leader. He believes that the MDC will basically kill itself off by taking over the reigns of the economy in light of the withdrawal of support by the Americans. He and vice president Msika are arguing that the people will quickly get disenchanted with MDC when they see that there is no improvement in the economic situation after MDC takes over the ministry of finance.