Zimbabwe's Supreme Court heard arguments on Tuesday in an appeal by state prosecutors seeking to block a lower court's order that bail be granted to Roy Bennett, a senior official of the Movement for Democratic Change formation of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.
Bennett, a former member of parliament and designated by Mr. Tsvangirai to become deputy minister of agriculture, remained in jail in eastern Mutare as the court deliberated.
Meanwhile, three MDC activists who were among 13 granted bail late last month but remained in custody as lawyers sought to meet bail conditions were freed Tuesday evening.
Lawyers for the activists said Pieta Kaseke, Collen Mutemagawu and Violet Mupfuranhewe paid bail of US$600 and surrendered their passports, but had to stay behind bars as state prosecutors demanded confirmation of the validity of their passports.
The three were among MDC activists abducted in Banket, Mashonaland West, late last year and subsequently accused of plotting to overthrow President Robert Mugabe.
Lawyer Alec Muchadehama told reporter Jonga Kandemiiri he and his colleagues were trying to line up medical care for their clients who were in poor physical condition.