A judge in Equatorial Guinea today suspended the trial of 14 suspected foreign mercenaries accused of plotting to overthrow its president after saying more time was needed to investigate the case.
"This court decrees the suspension of this trial for the time it will take for all complementary investigations to be conducted," Judge Salvador Ondo Ncumu told the court.
The prosecution earlier requested the indefinite suspension of the trial, saying new revelations were coming to light every day from investigations outside the oil-rich former Spanish colony.
The family of Mr Mark Thatcher, who was arrested in South Africa last week on suspicion of financing the coup attempt, left his Cape Town home yesterday bound for the United States.
The son of former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher is effectively under house arrest in the plush residence until he pays a two million rand (€247,000) bond. Mr Thatcher has denied involvement in the plot.