Equatorial Guinea's state prosecutor demanded the death penalty today for a South African accused of plotting to topple the president of sub-Saharan Africa's third-biggest oil producer.
Summing up the case against the 19 suspected mercenaries standing trial, state prosecutor Mr Jose Olo Obono said the group was working for an international web of financiers seeking to put exiled politician Mr Severo Moto in power.
Equatorial Guinea says the plot to oust President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo was organised by Mr Simon Mann, a former British special forces officer who was jailed by Zimbabwe in August on charges related to the alleged coup.
Mr Obono told the court he wanted the death penalty both for South African Nick du Toit, who was in court flanked by four armed guards with his hands and feet shackled, and for Moto, who lives in Spain and is being tried in absentia.
Fourteen people, including Mr Mark Thatcher, the son of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, are listed in court documents read out by Mr Obono as financiers of the plot.
Thatcher is accused of stumping up $275,000. Lebanese oil tycoon Eli Calil is alleged to have contributed $750,000 and a number of other British businessmen are included in the list handed out in the Malabo court.
Mr Thatcher and Mr Calil have denied any involvement.
Members of Equatorial Guinea's legal team denied media reports that Mr Thatcher had been charged by the country.
"Mark Thatcher has not been charged," a lawyer in the team said at the courtroom in Malabo.
"There's absolutely no doubt. His name was heard because he was cited as one of the financiers. There was an error in translation and a misunderstanding."