By Jonathan Ambaye
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa Desk

DAKAR, Senegal-Today the government of Equatorial Guinea announced it had pardoned Simon Mann and four other South Africans who had been imprisoned for a failed attempt to overthrow the country’s President Teodoro Obiang Nguema. In March 2004, a plane from South Africa was impounded by Zimbabwean police. Simon Mann, along with over seventy other mercenaries, was aboard the plane with the intent to pick up weapons and proceed to Equatorial Guinea in order to carry out a coup.

Upon the plane landing the police suspected the mercenaries intentions and instead arrested everyone on board the plane. Mann served four years in a Zimbabwean jail before his extradition to Equatorial Guinea where he was tried, convicted, and sentenced to 34 years in prison for being the author of a plot to carry out a coup.  Simon strongly contended that he was only an accomplice and not the leader of the plot.

On Tuesday, an advisor to Equatorial Guinea President Obiang, Miguel Mifuno said Mann was released on humanitarian grounds. He also said, “Simon Mann conducted himself in an exemplary fashion during his trial and his incarceration in Equatorial Guinea. He has had some health problems. And was operated on. He is now in good health but the President thinks he should now be allowed to live in peace with his family.”

Simon Mann is an alumnus of Britain’s prominent educational institution, Eton College, and comes from a wealthy family of brewers. His involvement in the conspiracy included other Britons including Sir Mark Thatcher, the son of former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. Sir Mark Thatcher had been fined and given a suspended sentence in South Africa in 2005 for unknowingly helping to finance the plot.

Upon Mann’s release, he said he was “delighted” that he would be reunited with his family and that was thrilled at the news.

For more information please see:

All Africa – Government Frees Mercenaries – 3 November 2009
BBC – Pardoned Briton Due For UK Return – 3 November 2009
NY Times – Equatorial Guinea Frees British Mercenary – 3 November 2009
VOA – British Coup Leader Pardoned In West Africa – 3 November 2009