Guard faces jail for Mugabe jibe

A SECURITY guard faces a year in jail for remarks about the health of president Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe.

The guard, Zebediah Mpofu, was charged with "undermining the authority" of the president and faces trial on 12 August, his lawyer said yesterday.

He is alleged to have said that Mugabe had ruined the economy, leaving shops empty. He added that they were only being restocked with biscuits and soft drinks by the former opposition party, the MDC, whose leaders were now lunching on such food with Mugabe. He is also said to have suggested that Mugabe was likely to die from illness.

The case is the latest in a spate relating to insulting Mugabe.