Zimbabwe cricketer Vermeulen's arson trial deferred

0 Comments | AFP, December, 2006

HARARE (AFP) — The trial of former Test player Mark Vermeulen, charged with arson attacks on the Zimbabwe cricket association's boardroom and training academy, has been adjourned after the prosecution failed to produce vital video evidence. The 27-year-old batsman, who played the last of his eight Test matches in 2004, faces two counts of arson and if convicted he faces 25 years in prison with hard labour.

He is accused of first trying to torch the association's boardroom at the Harare Sports Club ground in late October and then burning down the pavilion at the training academy the following day. He is now set to appear on trial in February after defence lawyer David Dhumbura told the court in a letter that there was a delay with the video evidence. He wrote: "To date we...