Convicted killer Nicholas Hoogstraten has been embroiled in a row over supplying fighter jets to Zimbabwe.

Robert Mugabe's beleaguered government allegedly wants Hoogstraten to help with the purchase of a squad-ron of combat aircraft, according to reports in the Sunday Times.

Buying the Russian-built MiG-29 planes would sidestep a ban on arms sales to Zimbabwe imposed by the European Union and United States.

Hoogstraten, who is close to Mr Mugabe's ruling Zanu-PF party, is in jail awaiting sentence for his part in the killing of rival landlord Mohammed Raja.

Zimbabwe Cabinet papers leaked to the Sunday Times noted Hoogstraten's "current circumstances are creating difficulties in finalising arrangements."

The leaked papers allege Hoogstraten was not unreceptive to underwriting a loan to buy the combat jets.

In return, the newspaper claimed, Hoog-straten would be granted another 1.2 million acres to add to his landhold-ings in Zimbabwe.

MiG-29E fighters officially cost £20 million, although the planes could be sold at a discounted of £5 million or £6 million each, arms trade campaigners say.

Zimbabwe wants the planes to counter any future threat from South Africa or Botswana.

Critics of any arms deals point to the mounting crisis in Zimbabwe, which aid agencies say will leave half the population, about six million people, in need of food aid this year.

A lawyer acting for Hoogstraten denied the allegations of being in-volved in buying the MiG jets. He told the Sunday Times no request for assistance had been received but if one was it would be considered as a purely business proposition.

Hoogstraten was found guilty of Mr Raja's manslaughter by an Old Bailey jury last month.

The Campaign Against the Arms Trade called for a tougher embargo on selling arms to Zimbabwe, to prevent British citizens brokering deals to the country.

A spokesman said: "It is an act of poor ethics, which is not uncommon for the arms trade or Hoogstraten, but not an act of illegality."