admin
The Herald, 15 July 1981
A MOTOR mechanic told the High Court, Salisbury, yesterday that he had been approached by a Canadian man who asked him to form a “hit squad” to assassinate the Prime Minister, Mr Mugabe, President Machel of Mozambique and President Kaunda of Zambia.
During an application for bail, Jean Julien Couplez, a Belgian national, said the man had told him he could get $5 million for the operation.
He was also told the weapons to be used were being kept in another country, said Mr Couplez.
The Canadian man spoken about by Mr Couplez was arrested by police as he was about to leave the country in May, and is alleged to be able to provide evidence against Mr Couplez in one of the four counts of car theft he is facing.
Detective Inspector Bernard Godley, the investigating officer, said the Canadian had told him he feared his life would be in danger if Mr Couplez was released on bail.
Police also believed Mr Couplez would try to leave the country or would try to interfere with the investigation or with other witnesses if he were released, added Mr Godley.
He said the investigating team was trying to find two people implicated with Mr Couplez in a scheme to steal vehicles, respray them and provide false number plates.
Mr Couplez was arrested on July 6, and two vehicles – later found to have been stolen – were found at his premises. The value of the vehicles in all four counts was more than $25 000, said Mr Godley.
Mr Couplez said he had no intention of fleeing the country, as his home was here, and that he would not try to harm the Canadian man.
He had broken his ties with the man after rejecting the assassination idea and other business arrangements.
In one of these, the Canadian, who claimed to be an associate of Bishop Abel Muzorewa, allegedly tried to solicit a loan of $6 000 from Mr Couplez for the bishop.
Mr Adrian de Bourbon, for Mr Couplez, said the police officer seemed to be exaggerating the alleged danger to witnesses from Mr Couplez.
Acting Judge Mr Justice McNally dismissed the bail application, saying he believed there was a basis for supposing that at least one State witness was frightened for his safety if Mr Couplez was released.
There was a possibility that Mr Couplez would be able to leave the country by some illegal means, he added.
LESSONS FOR TODAY
- Heads of State are targets of assassinations due to their pivotal role in governance, symbolic significance as national leaders, historical precedents linking political change to such actions, and the strategic impact that their removal can have on political landscapes.
- The assassination of a head of state can have profound political implications, leading to instability, power vacuums, and potential shifts in policy direction.
- The removal of a head of state through assassination can also serve as a catalyst for social movements, uprisings, or changes in government structure.
- According to sources, Couplez is a former French soldier, who expressed his desire to assassinate former President Mugabe due to his strong opposition to the Zimbabwean Government and its policies. He saw President Mugabe as a hindrance to progress and democracy and believed that eliminating him would pave the way for a better future for the people of Zimbabwe.
Online Reporter