The leader of Zimbabwe's largest opposition party was acquitted of treason charges Friday by a High Court in Harare. The judge said their was not enough credible evidence to convict the politician, Morgan Tsvangirai. But analysts in Zimbabwe and opposition activists say while they are celebrating the acquittal, it's still too early to conclude that Zimbabwe's justice system has returned to independence. Morgan Tsvangirai was found not guilty of plotting to assassinate President Mugabe and stage a coup. The not guilty verdict was unexpected in Zimbabwe, where the ruling party allegedly interferes regularly in political cases.
Still, Mr. Tsvangirai says celebrations to mark his acquittal must be tempered with reality. "We feel relieved," he said. "I think it was unexpected because of the political environment in which we operate. But we cannot celebrate yet, because the political climate has neither improved nor are there any signs of improvement." There was no immediate reaction to the verdict from the Zimbabwe government.
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