Simon Mann

An old Etonian mercenary, scion of Mann brewing family, and the son and grandson of England cricket captains. His bungling of the “Wonga coup” proved one adventure too far. A former SAS commander, who served in Northern Ireland and the Gulf War, he was active during the Angolan civil war in the 1990s. An occasional actor, Mann also played a British officer in the 2002 film about the Bloody Sunday killings in Northern Ireland.

Sir Mark Thatcher

Nicknamed “Scratcher” by Mann — his neighbour in the affluent white suburb of Constantia, Cape Town — the disgraced son of the former Prime Minister was named as one of five men “in charge of the operation”. He financed the helicopter, intended by others for use in the bungled plot, and pleaded guilty to “unwittingly” abetting the coup. He was forced to leave South Africa, and is now thought to live in a high-security compound in Spain.

Ely Calil

Elusive Lebanese-Nigerian tycoon, accused of being the mastermind and chief financier of the plot against Obiang, which he denies. He owns a six-acre home in “Billionaire’s Row”, Hampstead, and has political connections in west Africa and the Middle East. A friend of Lord Mandelson, he has amassed a £100 million fortune. He is so secretive, it is said that the only photograph of him in public was taken in 1972. Calil has always denied Mann’s claims that he was the “cardinal” of the coup. He says that he financed the plan to install Severo Moto, the exiled opposition leader, to Equatorial Guinea, but insisted “there was no coup plot".

Nick du Toit

A South African arms dealer, commander in the apartheid-era defence force and long-term business partner of Mann. He was the frontman of the botched plan to overthrow the Government, given the task of mercenary recruitment. He was meant to lead the advance guard of 15 into Malabo, under cover of a fishing and hunting business. Once installed, he planned to seize the airport and guide in Mann’s plane, before leading the attack on the presidential palace. He is one of four South African mercenaries released yesterday, having been sentenced with Mann to 34 years in Black Beach Prison.

Severo Moto

The opposition leader in exile and a friend of Calil. The genesis of the plot is said to lie in discussions at his villa in Madrid. Moto has long sought the overthrow of President Obiang, whom he accuses of torture and cannibalism.

Greg Wales

Mann’s former accountant, a British businessman with extensive interests in Africa. He owns a large house in Richmond-upon-Thames. He has said that his only role was to help form Du Toit’s fishing company.

David Tremain

A British businessman and a friend of Mann. An alleged financier and coup plotter.

Gianfranco Cicogna

A South African telecoms tycoon who admits being approached by Mann. He owns a home in West London. He was once engaged to the television presenter Tania Bryer and is well known on the London social scene.

Jeffrey Archer

The disgraced former Conservative party deputy chairman entered the fray when a person called J. H. Archer was shown in company documents to have transferred £74,000 to Mann’s company, Logo Logistics, four days before the attempted coup. He is a friend of Calil. He insists that he was unaware of any plot.

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