**A key prosecution witness in the trial of Zimbabwean politician Roy Bennett has rebutted much of the state’s case.**Prosecutors say Peter Hitschmann stashed weapons for Mr Bennett, an ally of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, who they accuse of a terrorist plot.
But Hitschmann disowned most of the weapons in court, denied ever meeting Mr Bennett and accused the police of concocting a conspiracy.
The trial has threatened to rip apart Zimbabwe’s unity government.
Mr Bennett, treasurer for Mr Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), denies all the charges against him, which include terrorism, insurgency, sabotage, banditry and a plot to kill President Robert Mugabe.
‘Unfavourable’ witness
Attorney General Johannes Tomana now wants to impeach Hitschmann.
During Tuesday’s session, Hitschmann, a convicted arms dealer, was asked to identify an array of weapons that the prosecution argued had been stashed for Mr Bennett.
ROY BENNETT
- 2000: Elected MP
- 2004: Jailed after pushing minister in parliament
- **2006: **Accused of plot to kill President Mugabe
- 2006: Fled to South Africa
- 2009: Nominated as deputy agriculture minister; arrested
Profile: Zimbabwe’s political farmer
But he disowned many of them, including six submachine guns and some tear-gas canisters.
Hischmman, who has already said he implicated Mr Bennett only after being tortured, also denied correspondence that the state said showed he had been in contact with Mr Bennett.
AFP news agency reported that Mr Tomana then asked for his witness to be impeached.
“He is not to be accepted as a favourable witness,” the agency quoted him as saying.
“The docket I have clearly shows a departure of statement he made to the police.”
Mr Tomana says Mr Bennett was involved in a bid to topple President Robert Mugabe’s government between 2002 and 2006.
Mr Bennett was held in February last year on charges of possessing illegal weapons.
Mr Bennett’s lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa has told the court the case was political persecution.
Mr Bennett had been due to be sworn in as deputy agriculture minister when he was arrested.
President Robert Mugabe has refused to swear him in while the case is ongoing.