Thatcher to face coup questions, court rules
Mark Thatcher – suspected of financing a coup plot in Equatorial Guinea - will have to answer questions from the West African nation’s investigators, a court ruled today.
Cape Town Judge Dion Van Zyl said the state had not infringed Thatcher’s right to a fair trial or his right of silence to avoid self-incrimination.
Prosecutors in Equatorial Guinea said last week they had charged the 51-year-old son of former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher, in connection with the alleged coup plot and would seek his extradition to face trial.
Attorney General Jose Olo Obono said Thatcher was accused of helping to finance a coup and was added to a list of 19 other defendants on trial in Equatorial Guinea.
After the ruling, Thatcher’s lawyer, Alan Bruce-Brand said it was too soon to say what the next step would be. Earlier, he said that if Thatcher’s court bid fail, he would most likely answer the questions from Equatorial Guinea authorities on Friday.
Thatcher was arrested in August at his Cape Town home and has been charged with violating South Africa’s Foreign Military Assistance act.
