Equatorial Guinea - trial

Two mercenaries granted amnesty

Article published on the 2009-11-03 Latest update 2009-11-03 12:50 TU

British mercenary Simon Mann (1stRowR) sits in court in Malabo
(Photo: AFP)

British mercenary Simon Mann, and Nick Du Toit, his South African counterpart, were granted amnesty after being convicted for an attempted coup plot in March 2004, state radio announced on Tuesday.

Simon Mann was arrested in Harare, Zimbabwe, after landing in a private plane carrying dozens of other mercenaries in 2004. He spent three years in prison in Zimbabwe and was then extradited to Equatorial Guinea after being found guilty of leading a failed coup planned to overthrow Equatorial Guinea’s President Teodoro Obiang Nguema.

Mann was sentenced to 34 years, and has spent a year at the notorious Black Beach prison in Malabo, joining Nick Du Toit. Du Toit was arrested and charged with being the advance party in the operation in Equatorial Guinea in 2004.

Britain has been informed of Mann’s return and the mercenary will have to leave Equatorial Guinea within 24 hours. The British Foreign Office say the Eton-educated ex-soldier has been granted release on “humanitarian” grounds.

The state radio announcement also said Mann was granted total amnesty considering his state of health. Mann was operated on for a hernia in November 2008.

Three other people have been granted amnesty along with Nick Du Toit, said the broadcast.

The pardon came on the eve of an official visit to Equatorial Guinea by Jacob Zuma, the South African president.