Harare  - Zimbabwe's Supreme Court said late Wednesday that a judge will issue a ruling Thursday on the case of whether senior opposition poltician Roy Bennett can be released on bail.

The court said Judge Paddington Garwe would rule on whether to allow the state to appeal against a bail ruling for Bennett, Zimbabwes deputy minister designate and a member of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party.

State counsel Chris Mutangadura said his side had been asked "to make more submissions" in the case.

Bennett who is being held in Mutare about 300 kilometres east of Harare, is facing charges of terrorism, sabotage and banditry. He was arrested on February 13 at a small airport outside Harare as he was leaving the country for South Africa.

He was granted bail on 2,000 US dollars by a High Court judge last week, but the state challenged the order, requesting seven days to decide to appeal against the ruling. The state contends that Bennett might try to flee the country.

Bennett's lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa said: "He ought to be free by now. This is a political case and everybody needs to cover their backs."

Mtetwa said the judge had requested the state to make more submissions which they would have to respond to before he makes a ruling, but the ruling was expected before the end of the day Thursday. (dpa)