Equatorial Guinea seeks to unravel coup plot
Equatorial Guinea authorities want to ask Mark Thatcher if he has ever met with one of the oil-rich country's exiled opposition leaders - and if he has ever been known by the name "Scratcher".
The queries are part of 42 listed questions that Equatorial Guinea authorities hoped to put to Thatcher in the Wynberg magistrate's court on Wednesday, as part of the trial of 19 suspected mercenaries in the country's capital Malabo.
Thatcher was arrested on August 25 in Cape Town in connection with allegations that he bankrolled the alleged plot to overthrow President Teodoro Obiang Nguema to the tune of $275 000 (about R1,7-million).
Thatcher was granted a two-month reprieve on Tuesday from the court order that he answer questions written by Equatorial Guinea prosecutors.
Thatcher, who says he is innocent of playing any part in the alleged coup, contends that the subpoena compelling him to answer questions related to the alleged coup plot is unlawful.
Two sets of questions from Equatorial Guinea authorities are included in Sir Mark's application. The first is largely concerned with Sir Mark's relationships with former SAS soldier and suspected coup plot ringleader Simon Mann and South African Nick du Toit, who is on trial in Equatorial Guinea for his part in the alleged plot.
Mann was sentenced to seven years in jail in Zimbabwe on September 10 for attempting to buy weapons that were allegedly to be used in the coup.
According to Mann's handwritten confession, which his lawyers claim was extracted under duress by the authorities in Zimbabwe, he held a series of meetings in January with potential investors on how they would benefit from replacing Obiang with Spanish-based exiled opposition leader, Severo Moto.
The first set of questions from Equatorial Guinea authorities asks Thatcher to provide details of what he knows of the "judicial position" regarding "the attempted coup in Equatorial Guinea" of Moto, Mann's business partner Greg Wales and Lebanese oil millionaire Eli Calil.
Equatorial Guinea's Information Minister, Agustin Nze Nfumu, has alleged Calil arranged to pay Mann $5-million (about R30-million) to hire a group of mercenaries to oust Obiang.
A second set of questions, dated September 3, focuses on Thatcher's movements at the time of Mann's arrest in Zimbabwe and his alleged plans to buy a helicopter.
One of the questions states: "The name 'Scratcher' appears in a letter sent by Mr Mann from prison in Harare. Is this a name by which you are known or have been known in the past?"
It is understood that the letter referred to is one that Mann attempted to smuggle to his wife, but was intercepted by intelligence officials. In the letter Mann pleads for help from some of his influential friends, whom he calls "Scratcher" and "Smelly".
The list of questions concludes with a request to Sir Mark to "explain why Mr Mann claims that you had agreed to provide funds for the coup d'etat in Equatorial Guinea".
Additional questions
- Where were you between the 5th and the 8th March 2004?
- Are you aware that Triple Aviation leased a small twin engine aircraft for use in early March 2004?
- Did you make or receive any overseas telephone calls between the 6th and the 8th March 2004?
- Did you lease or buy an aircraft of type Boeing 727-100 in the period between January and March 2004 either yourself or through friends or through a company or did you provide funds for same?
- Were you in the Canary Islands around the 6th and 7th March 2004?
- If so, who else was there?
- The helicopter that you asked Nick du Toit about in 2003, how much were you willing to buy it for? Did you buy the helicopter? Please provide an invoice and also please give the date of the purchase.
- Who asked you to buy the helicopter and who asked you to provide the money to buy or lease the helicopter in early 2004?
- What significant movements in your bank accounts or investments were made by you between 1st June and 31st March 2004 and what was their purpose?
- Did you visit the Sandton Sun Hotel between 1st June 2003 and March 2004?
- If so, who did you meet?
- Were you in the United States between 1st June 2003 and 31st March 2004? If so what cities did you visit and who did you meet outside of your immediate family?
- Did you meet any American officials during that period? If so, what was the subject of your discussion?
- We understand that you advanced about $275 000 to Triple Aviation. Do you accept that you made such payment and if so what was the purpose?
- The name 'Scratcher' appears in a letter send by Simon Mann from prison in Harare. Is this a name by which you are known or have been known in the past?
- Explain why Mr Mann claims that you agreed to provide funds for the coup d'etat in Equatorial Guinea.