Mugabe attacks electoral court ruling

HARARE, Zimbabwe, March 17 (UPI) -- Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe has vowed to appeal the ruling of an electoral court, allowing a jailed opposition parliament member to run for re-election.

The ruling in favor of Robert Bennett has angered Mugabe, who called it "madness," the BBC reported Thursday. Bennett was sentenced to 12 months in prison for attacking the justice minister in a debate on land last year.

The ruling is the first by the court, which was set up ahead of the March 31 parliamentary elections. The court also postponed the election in Bennett's constituency by a month to give his team time to campaign.

"We can't be held to ransom by a man who is in prison. That is absolute nonsense. We will study the decision and appeal against it," a local newspaper quoted Mugabe as saying.