JOHANNESBURG, Feb 23 (Reuters) - A Pretoria court on Friday dropped charges against eight South Africans accused of planning a coup in oil-rich Equatorial Guinea, the South African Press Association (SAPA) said.

The Pretoria Regional Court dismissed the charges against the men, whose lawyers had earlier argued that South Africa's government had tacitly backed the aborted 2004 coup attempt, SAPA said. South African officials denied the allegation.

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