Obituary: Simon Mann – former British Army officer from Lymington, best known for his involvement in a failed coup attempt in Equatorial Guinea

A FORMER British Army officer and private military contractor from Lymington, who was best known for his involvement in a failed coup attempt in Equatorial Guinea, has died suddenly at the age of 72.

Simon Mann reportedly collapsed on 8th May and was pronounced dead after what is believed to have been a cardiac arrhythmia. However, further medical examinations are ongoing, with an aortic dissection also being considered as a potential cause of death.

Born in June 1952, the son of a former England cricket captain, Simon attended private boys' school Eton before studying at Sandhurst Royal Military Academy and then joining the Scots Guards.

He became involved in international mercenary activities after being called to serve in the Gulf War and in 1996 established Sandline International, a company which provided strategic and military help to Angola and Sierra Leone.

In 2004, he was arrested and subsequently imprisoned in Zimbabwe and Equatorial Guinea for his role in a plot to overthrow president Teodoro Obiang Nguema.

Along with more than 60 others, Mr Mann was arrested in March 2004 at Harare airport in Zimbabwe when their Boeing 727 was seized by security forces.

Large amounts of cash were found onboard which to be used to buy weapons and equipment. The men initially claimed they were on their way to protect diamond mines in Congo.

During his subsequent trial in Zimbabwe, Mr Mann admitted trying to buy arms illegally and was sentenced to seven years in prison. But instead of being released he was secretly extradited overnight to Equatorial Guinea where he was put on trial for the attempted coup against the country’s rulers.

While in prison Mr Mann was cooperative with the authorities and admitted his involvement, to a degree. He also named Sir Mark Thatcher, son of former British Prime Minister Margaret, among key members in the plot – an allegation Sir Mark denied.

As a result of his cooperation, Mr Mann was spared the death penalty but sentenced to 34 years in jail. However, he was released 15 months later in 2009, receiving a presidential pardon on humanitarian grounds, after a high profile campaign by New Forest East MP Sir Julian Lewis.

Mr Mann then returned to the home in Beaulieu he shared with his wife Amanda and four young children. The family later moved to Lymington.

Speaking on Tuesday, Amanda told the A&T: “When he got home – after more than years in two of the Africa’s toughest prisons – he was the same guy that had left. His mantle resolve was amazing.

“I interviewed him for three days because I was frightened about him being around the children – but he really never changed from the person that he was before.”

In 2011 Mr Mann released a tell-all book about his experiences entitled Cry Havoc, and went on to become a high profile public speaker – particularly at army and military events. His expertise covered a range of topics, including Sub-Saharan Africa, leadership, teamwork, strategy and mental survival.

At the time of his death, Mr Mann was the non-executive chair of Hydrogen Utopia International – a London-based specialist in converting non-recyclable plastic into hydrogen.

Paying tribute, the company’s CEO Aleksandra Binkowska said: “Simon was never the conventional choice for chairman, and that’s exactly what made him the right one.

“He brought something different, a depth of insight, an extraordinary network and an ability to open doors most of us didn’t even know existed. His influence reached far beyond titles or roles.”

Amanda added: “Despite the controversy surrounding his military career, Simon was known to many as a charismatic and complex figure, with a deep knowledge of African geopolitics and security operations.”

Details of a memorial service will be released in due course.