Harare – February 21, 2012 - Zimbabwean police have arrested the director-general of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) on allegations he wanted to kill party members.

Tondeipi Shone was arrested on Sunday as he arrived from South Africa and was still in police custody on Tuesday morning.

He has been charged under case number H/C PR875/2/12 for allegedly assigning three party youths to kill Tsvangirai’s personal aide, Dennis Murira and another official identified as Mesa.

The youths only identified as Skipper, Tiger and Diva were allegedly led by another official in the MDC security department identified as Moffat Aliseni

Shone allegedly went to South Africa immediately after he heard that police were looking for him when the purported plot was uncovered.

MDC spokesperson Douglas Mwonzora said Shone handed himself over the police after he heard they were looking for him.

Meanwhile, six MDC supporters who have been in remand prison for almost a year accused of murdering a police officer were on Monday released on bail following a ruling by the Supreme Court last week.

One of the detainees could not be immediately released after court officials failed to locate his passport. 

Six were granted $500 bail each while a councilor for Glen View in Harare where the police officer was killed in May last year was given $1000 bail.

Three other members including, MDC youth assembly chairperson Solomon Madzore remain in custody.