Thatcher fights to avoid coup interrogation

Sir Mark Thatcher, son of the former British prime minister, appeared in a South African magistrates’ court today for a televised hearing on charges that he helped bankroll a failed coup attempt in Equatorial Guinea.

The two day hearing is into the legality of the government subpoena of Thatcher, a 51-year-old businessman who has lived in South Africa since 1995. He was arrested in Cape Town in August.

Thatcher arrived at the Cape High Court looking relaxed, wearing a navy jacket, grey trousers and powder blue tie. He sat directly behind his lawyers, making notes and tapping a pen on his knee.

Defence lawyer Peter Hodes said the government would be assisting Equatorial Guinea in an unfair trial by forcing Thatcher to answer questions about his alleged involvement in the coup attempt.

“What we are dealing with in Equatorial Guinea is a military tribunal or there is a good possibility that it is,” Hodes said.

Equatorial Guinea wants to question a number of prominent Britons about allegations they financed a plot to overthrow President Teodoro Obiang Nguema, who has ruled Africa’s third-largest oil producer for the past 25 years.

Nineteen people are on trial in Equatorial Guinea, including Nick Du Toit, a South African arms dealer alleged to have led an advance team for the plot.

Du Toit, the only suspect facing the death penalty has outlined in his testimony meetings with Thatcher and others in the months before the alleged coup attempt.

“In many instances judges are not qualified and in cases where heads of state are involved, it is usually a military tribunal,” Hodes said before adjourning for tea.

Thatcher’s lawyers have maintained his innocence, saying he will cooperate with authorities.

Last month Simon Mann, a former SAS officer and noted soldier of fortune accused of masterminding the failed coup plot, was sentenced to seven years in prison for trying to buy weapons from Zimbabwe’s state arms manufacturer.

Mann’s 67 accused co-conspirators, arrested when their ageing Boeing 727 landed at the Harare International Airport on March 7, received sentences of 12-16 months for minor immigration and aviation violations.