US court extends deadline for plaintiffs

A US court handling a lawsuit against President Robert Mugabe has extended the deadline for the plaintiffs to file their opposing arguments against the granting of immunity to Mugabe, the ‘Zimbabwe Standard’ reported at the weekend. The case was brought by four Zimbabweans who alleged their families were abused during last year’s presidential elections. Four plaintiffs-Adella Chiminya, wife of the late Tichaona who was an election agent for Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) president Morgan Tsvangirai; Maria Stevens, whose husband was murdered by war veterans; Evelyn Masaiti, MDC MP for Mutasa; and Efridah and Elliot Pfebve, whose brother Matthew was killed during the election campaign - are suing Mugabe for over US $69 million. They allege that Mugabe, as president and leader of the ruling ZANU-PF party, commissioned the killings and other human rights abuses that took place during the run up to last year’s parliamentary election. Topper Whitehead, spokesman for the plaintiffs, told the newspaper that the US court had extended the deadline by a month to 23 April. “We didn’t ask for the extension. I think it was a court decision but we don’t mind, we still expect to get a favourable ruling,” Whitehead was quoted as saying.