The son of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher has appeared in a Cape Town court in connection with a coup plot in Equatorial Guinea.
Mark Thatcher, 51, faces charges of financing a coup to overthrow Equatorial Guinea President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo.
His lawyers are arguing that an order forcing him to answer questions from Equatorial Guinea about the plot could prejudice his trial in South Africa.
Equatorial Guinea has said it may seek to extradite Mr Thatcher to face charges along with 14 other suspected foreign mercenaries already on trial in the country, which has been frequently accused by activists of human rights abuses.
South African justice officials say they believe Mr Thatcher could get a fair trial in Equatorial Guinea, but they say no extradition request has so far been received.
He faces separate charges in South Africa over alleged violations of the country's strict anti-mercenary laws.
A Zimbabwean court last month sentenced Simon Mann, a former British special forces officer and a friend of Mr Thatcher, to seven years in jail on weapons charges in a case prosecutors linked to the alleged coup.
