Zimbabwe deports 'coup mastermind' to E Guinea

0 Comments | AFP, February, 2008

HARARE (AFP) — The alleged British mastermind of a foiled coup in Equatorial Guinea has been deported there from Zimbabwe, even though he was still appealing against his extradition, court documents showed on Friday.

Simon Mann, an ex-SAS officer was placed on a military plane and flown out in the early hours of Thursday after being handed over to Equatorial Guinea officials, a senior immigration officer said in an affadavit seen by AFP. He had already served time in a Zimbabwean jail.

But Mann's lawyer Jonathan Samkange said he had only learnt his client had already been flown out when he lodged legal papers on Friday relating to a final appeal against his deportation.

"The idea was that by the time we filed a notice of appeal he would have gone. This was...