A Zimbabwean magistrate remanded ministerial candidate Roy Bennett in custody until March 4 after finding the state had produced enough evidence of his alleged involvement in an insurgency plot to warrant detaining him further, dpa reported.
The ruling, delivered by a judge in the eastern city of Mutare, is a blow for Bennett's Movement for Democratic Change, which wants the 52-year-old former farmer to be part of a new coalition government.
The judge gave leave for Bennett's defence to appeal the ruling to the High Court.
Bennett, who lost his farm during the country's lawless farm seizures, is accused of possessing weapons in 2006 for the purpose of insurgency and banditry.
The MDC party treasurer, who had just returned to Zimbabwe last month from South Africa, where he was granted political asylum, is also accused of trying to leave Zimbabwe illegally last Friday when he was arrested at an airport outside Harare.
Bennett denies the charges, which the MDC sees as part of an attempt by hardliners within Mugabe's Zanu-PF to subvert the two parties' fragile power-sharing deal.
The MDC has nominated Bennett for the position of deputy agriculture minister.