Mugabe to barter mercenaries for fuel

OIL DEAL: President Mugabe has agreed to the extradition of the 'mercenaries' in exchange for oil

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By Agencies

PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe has struck a deal with Equatorial Guinea to extradite the 70 suspected mercenaries held in Harare to the oil-rich country in exchange for fuel worth US1.2-billion.

Official sources say Mugabe has agreed with Equatorial Guinea's President Teodora Obiang Nguema Mbasogo to hand over the mercenaries, accused of plotting a coup in the West African nation, on condition that he received a two-year supply of fuel.

The deal was first discussed at a meeting between Mugabe and Obiang in Pretoria on April 27.

Mugabe and Obiang were in South Africa to attend President Thabo Mbeki's inauguration.

"Initially, Mugabe did not want to send the suspects to Equatorial Guinea because he wanted to use them to gain cheap publicity and later to bargain for fuel," a source said. "Obiang had to send at least three teams to Zimbabwe to negotiate the extradition but Mugabe refused. It was only after Obiang accepted the fuel deal that he agreed."

After the Pretoria meeting, Mugabe and Obiang flew separately to Bulawayo on April 28 to finalise the deal. They then met at State House and after the meeting Obiang told journalists that they been discussing the extradition.

It is understood they agreed in principle that Zimbabwe would extradite the mercenaries to Equatorial Guinea in exchange for significant fuel supplies.

The deal outranks Zimbabwe's collapsed fuel agreement with Libya, which was worth $360-million a year. The new deal involves a 50-million monthly supply for two years. Equatorial Guinea would supply Zimbabwe with 65 million litres of diesel and 40 million litres of petrol a month.

Zimbabwe would secure additional fuel worth $10-million every month to build up its reserves. This would make it easier for the government to replenish its empty tanks because the private sector is now importing fuel following deregulation last year.

Zimbabwe's Energy and Power Development Minister July Moyo said he had "no idea" about the deal. But sources said the arrangement would start rolling as soon as the suspects are extradited.

Zimbabwe is expected to send the mercenaries to Equatorial Guinea after their next remand date on May 26. Once extradited, the suspects would face trial together with the other 15 alleged accomplices being held in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea's capital, over the same charges.

The mercenaries were arrested in Harare on March 7 after they allegedly landed on false pretences to collect "dangerous weapons" bought from the state-owned Zimbabwe Defence Industries. They were charged under the Public Order & Security Act, immigration, aviation, and fire arms laws. They have denied all the charges.

The deal, if implemented, would provide a transient relief to Zimbabwe, which has been battling a fuel crisis since 1999.

Foreign Affairs spokesman Ronnie Mamoepa said South Africa had not been officially informed that Zimbabwe would extradite the suspected mercenaries.
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