Confusion surrounded the treason charges against the Zimbabwean presidential challenger, Mr Morgan Tsvangirai, yesterday after the government claimed no charges had been pressed.
The Justice Minister, Mr Patrick Chinamasa, told state media that police had only questioned the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader about allegations that he planned to "eliminate" President Robert Mugabe.
However last Monday the chief police spokesman confirmed to reporters that Mr Tsvangirai, who poses the greatest threat to Mr Mugabe in the approaching election, had been charged with high treason.
MDC lawyer Mr Innocent Chajonda said his client had signed a police statement detailing the allegations of treason which is normally the first step of a criminal prosecution.
Analysts said the confusion may stem from a government plan to disorientate the opposition in the run-up to the two-day presidential poll, which starts a week from tomorrow.
"This doesn't project Mugabe and [ruling party] Zanu-PF in a good light," said political analysts Prof Masipula Sithole. "I suspect they have been advised to stop because there is no more political mileage in it."
Meanwhile, violent attacks continued against opposition supporters. A group of police and Zanu-PF supporters attacked a training course for MDC polling agents in Harare yesterday morning. One woman with a suspected broken wrist said a policeman had beaten her.
Dr Frances Lovemore, medical director of a health centre run by the Amani Trust rights group, said she sees up to 20 such cases every day. "It's pretty bad at the moment. One man we saw earlier was really badly beaten - feet swollen, infections on his arms and slashed behind the knees."
However, the government has suffered a rare setback after the Supreme Court overturned a controversial new law that gave it sweeping controls over the electoral process.
Mr Chinamasa said he would abide by the decision, although it comes too late to reverse some provisions. The half million Zimbabweans living abroad now have the right to vote, but it is too late to register.
Nevertheless, the opposition said the ruling may allow for greater transparency on polling day because the government can no longer hire only civil servants as election monitors.
A split along racial lines has emerged among Commonwealth heads of states as they prepare to meet in the Australian city of Brisbane tomorrow.
The British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, is pressing for tough action against Mr Mugabe but many African countries are reluctant to censure the 78-year-old autocrat, who recently told Western countries to "shut your dirty mouths".
South Africa in particular has been criticised for not doing enough to pressure him into respecting the rule of law. Its economy has been badly damaged by the continuing crisis,.