FRIDAY, 3.00PM
THE Organisation of African Unity has fired former Zimbabwean president Canaan Banana, who is facing a series of sex-crimes charges, from his job as special peace envoy to Liberia, the Zimbabwean Financial Gazette reported on Friday.
The magazine quoted OAU secretary general Salim Ahmed Salim as saying “there is no more role for him to play in Liberia”. Salim added: “But he played a crucial role in the past and I am grateful for that.”
Banana, 62, also recently lost a post as professor of religion at the University of Zimbabwe.
He faces sodomy charges for the alleged rape of a former aide, and is also accused of attempting to sodomise a cook, a bodyguard, and indecently assaulting six other aides and a gardener.
Salim said the OAU might review Banana’s situation if he is cleared by the courts.
The decision to drop Banana coincided with Liberian elections won by former warlord Charles Taylor. “In any case the elections have passsed in Liberia and his role is no longer necessary,” Salim said.