Arrests over white farmer's death

Ford had tried to escape from his killers

HARARE, Zimbabwe -- Zimbabwe police have arrested four men in connection with the murder of a white farmer.

The death was the first of a white farmer since President Robert Mugabe was re-elected for a fifth term last week, and the tenth since militants began often violent occupations of white-owned land two years ago.

The arrests came as the leaders of South Africa, Nigeria and Australia met to decide the Commonwealth reaction to the controversial poll. (read full story)

Some African nations have welcomed the poll as fair but Western nations, including former colonial power Britain, have condemned the violence surrounding the campaign.

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Framer Terry Ford was tied up and shot to death outside his homestead in Norton, 40 km west of Harare, early on Monday.

"Four people have been arrested, and firearms which we suspect were used in the murder were recovered," assistant commissioner Wayne Bvudzijena told Reuters news agency.

Bvudzijena refused to comment on whether the suspects were self-styled war veterans of the 1970s liberation struggle or land invaders settled on the victim's farm.

The killing came hours before the leaders of South Africa and Nigeria met Mugabe to discuss his recent election win and a day before Commonwealth leaders met to discuss a possible response to the election.

Ford had tried to escape an attack by driving through a fence after seeing a car blocking his main gate.

Ford's dog lies curled next to his body

"He failed to drive through the fence and that is when he was dragged out of the car, bound to a tree and was shot through the head," Benjamin Freeth, a Commercial Farmers' Union regional official told Reuters.

Ford had called for help from police and neighbours during the night, saying he was being attacked by government-backed settlers on his farm.

Hundreds of farms have been abandoned in the face of the violent occupations and many other farmers moved to the cities or out of the country for the election, fearing violence.

Mugabe said at his inauguration on Sunday he would accelerate the seizure of white-owned farms for redistribution to landless blacks.