WEDNESDAY, 3.15PM
FORMER Zimbabwean president Canaan Banana, in an interview with the Zimbabwe Independent, denied he is a homosexual and described allegations he repeatedly raped an aide as “pathological lies” and part of a “malicious vendetta” against him.
“How many times am I going to repeat that I am not a homosexual?” the Methodist minister and diplomat snapped.
Former policeman Japhta Dube, who was Banana’s aide de camp until 1996, was sentenced in February to 10 years in jail for the murder of a colleague who, he said, tormented him for being “Banana’s wife”. The High Court accepted evidence Dube was suffering from stress-related illness caused by homosexual abuse by Banana and recommended that police investigate.
After they began an investigation, police claimed they had received complaints from other men and were considering at least seven criminal charges against Banana. None has been brought.
Last week, Banana charged through his lawyers that unidentified opponents, fearing he had ambitions to re-enter politics, had offered some of his accusers money, cars and houses to discredit him.
Last month Banana was relieved of his voluntary teaching post at the University of Zimbabwe because of the allegations. Banana is currently the Organisation of African Unity’s special envoy to Liberia, where he is trying to help restore peace and democracy after a seven-year civil war.
Homosexual practices are criminalised in Zimbabwe, and carry a possible prison sentence.