Lawyer Calls for Mugabe Trial at The Hague

A leading international lawyer yesterday called for Robert Mugabe to be brought to trial for state-sponsored torture, murder and rape amid fresh claims that the government in Zimbabwe is abusing its legal system to hold on to power.

Mark Ellis, from the International Bar Association, said there was enough evidence to bring Mr Mugabe before the international criminal court in The Hague.

"It is time that the international community took decisive steps to assure the suffering people of Zimbabwe that Mugabe and his cohorts will be held accountable for their crimes," he said.

"Files can be opened now and evidence can be compiled to prepare for the trials."

The UN commission on human rights, now meeting in Geneva, declined to take action on the reports of abuses in Zimbabwe. But Mr Ellis said the trend of international justice was to make sure that there is no impunity for rulers or government officials. "We must show that even a dictator cannot evade international law," he said.

Stephen Irwin QC, chairman of the Bar Council of England and Wales, was one of an international delegation of lawyers who returned this week from a visit to Zimbabwe. "What is happening there is the destruction of a once fine, working justice system in order to hold on to political power," he said.

The country's judges were either being bought or threat ened into submission to the Mugabe regime, he said.

Mr Irwin said the Mugabe government had to significantly reform or the parliamentary elections due in March next year would be "meaningless".

A new report by analysts at the International Crisis Group, echoed Mr Irwin's warning, saying that the upcoming elections "may be the country's last chance to avoid becoming a failed state".