South African president Thabo Mbeki was regularly informed of the progress of an attempted coup in Equatorial Guinea which was also sanctioned by the United States, Britain and Spain, a state witness testified today.

Mark Thatcher avoided jail in South Africa after striking a plea bargain over his alleged role in a coup plot in oil-rich Equatorial Guinea.

Mark Thatcher has been charged with involvement in a coup plot in oil rich Equatorial Guinea, prosecutors confirmed today.