Harare — THE Minister of State for Information and Publicity, Professor Jonathan Moyo, yesterday described as unfortunate and disgraceful contempt an editorial in The Daily News alleging that the MDC leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai was "on trial for his country".

Prof Moyo said in a statement that the editorial was not just a disgraceful contempt of court, but also of the rule of law.

"Fair-minded and law abiding Zimbabweans, not to mention international observers, know only too well that in our constitutional democracy, persons appearing before our courts of law facing accusations of committing a crime are innocent until proven guilty," said Prof Moyo.

"Only the guilty tend to be afraid before the trial. The jittery and panicky behaviour of those behind and at The Daily News gives the impression of people who are afraid of something that only they know."

Prof Moyo said if The Daily News knew something of legal significance about the trial of Tsvangirai, it should approach the courts without showing any fear that was characteristic of those who were guilty.

"Otherwise the public will be entitled to conclude that The Daily News was part of the assassination plot, which is the focus of Tsvangirai's treason trial," he said.

"Those who, like The Daily News, have made the most noise about the rule of law must be the first to listen to their noise."

Prof Moyo said the fact that The Daily News and its reporters were operating illegally without registration and accreditation did not mean they should take their lawlessness to the point of being as blatantly contemptuous of the court and the rule of law as displayed by the paper's editorial.

The trial of Tsvangirai, MDC secretary general Welshman Ncube and Gweru Rural MP Renson Gasela for high treason opened in the High Court yesterday.

The three are accused of plotting to assassinate President Mugabe using a Canadian consultancy firm in 2001.