Zimbabwe police raided a house used by executives of prime minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s party, saying they were searching for weapons, the country’s finance minister said today.

Zimbabwe president Robert Mugabe accused the Zimbabwe opposition of lying over political violence to justify claims that next week’s presidential run-off vote will not be free and fair, the official media reported today.

Top opposition leaders were assaulted and tortured by police who broke up a planned “Save Zimbabwe” prayer meeting in the capital, colleagues of the activists said today.

Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe’s government plans to appeal the acquittal earlier this month of opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai on capital charges of treason, acting attorney general Bharat Patel said.