Zimbabwe's high court ordered British property tycoon Nicholas van Hoogstraten today to be released from police custody because he had been detained longer than allowed by law, his defence lawyer said.
The 63-year-old, arrested last Thursday in a night police raid at his home, was initially due in court on Monday but did not appear and his lawyers made an urgent application to the high court for his release.
Zimbabwean law allows police to hold suspects for not more than 48 hours before bringing them to court.
"High court judge Samuel Kudya ordered that he be released from police custody," George Chikumbirike, van Hoogstraten's main defence lawyer, told reporters.
"If they want to proceed with the case, they can do so by way of summoning him to court."
After his release, Van Hoogstraten, who shielded his face from cameras, was driven away in a sports car.
Van Hoogstraten has been charged with levying rentals on his properties in foreign currency in violation of Zimbabwean law.
He owns about 200 residential and business properties in Zimbabwe. He has denied any wrongdoing and also said he had not fallen out with President Robert Mugabe's government over his arrest.