Comment As Roy Bennett's prosecutors prepare to change the charge against him for the fifth time, it is becoming clear that the prosecution is malicious and ill intentioned.

MDC President Morgan Tsvangirai with Roy Bennett

These are obviously the actions of the former JOC, the Police Commissioner, the Army Commander and the Prisons Chief who are defying the government of Morgan Tsvangirai whose swearing in they did not attend.

If Robert Mugabe is indeed for the unity government, a point he made clear during the swearing in of the Cabinet, then he must reign in the commanders; he must make a clear and loud public statement ordering them to stop the petty abuse of Roy Bennett. 

The President should be able to tell the JOC leaders that there is now a government of national unity, headed by him and Tsvangirai and that anyone who does not want to salute Tsvangirai is free to resign.

Failure to recognise the constitutional leadership of the country by the uniformed services is tantamount to a military coup and should not be tolerated.

An MDC spokesman today described the actions of the police as some kind of "micky mouse business and guerrilla type ambush" whereby the police want to, for the fifth time, change the charges against Roy Bennett.

They now want to revert to the original charge of attempt to leave the country illegally.

To recap, Bennett was first arrested on charge of wanting to leave the country illegally when he was stopped at Charles Prince Airport in Harare.

When they realised the charges would not hold, they changed the charge to treason - stemming from a case which is already dead as his alleged co-conspirators having been acquitted.

Then that charge was changed to terrorism, then to possession of a weapon, and finally now back to trying to leave the country illegally.

Charles Prince Airport officials reportedly said there were being harassed by the CIO to change their story to say that Bennett was to leave the country without following the proper procedures.

An MDC spokesman said there was no basis at law to charge, or even suspect, Roy Bennett of any wrong doing.

"This harassment is driven by an underlining political vendetta against Roy Bennett, and now seeming emerging a broader and deeper political issue.

"They will not succeed. Roy Bennett can not be held hostage and Roy Bennett will not accept being used as ransom for any political issue.

"Driven by a vindictive and malicious political vendetta against Roy Bennett, the level of desperation on the part of ZANU PF and the police is shameful and pathetic."

He said Bennett was the MDC's choice for Deputy Minister of Agriculture and it is was inconceivable that that would change.

"The earlier that is accepted, the earlier the Inclusive Government can get down to the real work of creating conditions for economic recovery and dismantling institutions of dictatorship that have haunted Zimbabwe for some long," he said adding that the MDC also demanded the immediate and unconditional release of Roy Bennett, Jestina Mukoko, WOZA leadership and members and all political prisoners unharmed.