MALAWI:Malawi Politician Pleads Innocent

A leading Malawian opposition leader pleaded innocent Wednesday to charges of treason as thousands of his supporters chanted their support in the streets outside.

 Brown Mpinganjira, a former minister in President Bakili Muluzi's government and now leader of the opposition National Democratic Alliance, was arrested Tuesday after government officials said five witnesses accused him of plotting a March coup attempt.

 More than 50 anti-riot police were stationed outside the court during the hearing as Mpinganjira's supporters marched to the court causing traffic jams in Blantyre.

 Authorities had asked that Mpinganjira be jailed for 14 days while they investigated the case, but Magistrate Chifundo Kachale ordered the government to complete its investigation by next Tuesday.

 People accused of treason in Malawi cannot apply for bail, and if convicted they can be sentenced to death.

 2 soldiers and 2 civilians are currently on trial for allegedly plotting the violent overthrow of the government in March.

 At least 5 witnesses testified in the High Court that the coup leader told them Mpinganjira had funded the plot.

 Mpinganjira has dismissed the trial as a sham, saying it was aimed at stopping him from campaigning against Muluzi for the presidency.

 "Muluzi has run out of ideas," he told reporters Wednesday. Outside the court, his supporters chanted, "B.J. Power! B.J. Power!" using Mpinganjira's nickname. They shut down 3 main roads in the city.