Zimbabwe Archbishop Rebukes 'Orchestrated' Adultery Accusations
An archbishop in Zimbabwe says those accusing him of committing adultery are attempting to discredit his name.
Archbishop Pius Ncube of Bulawayo, one of the most outspoken critics of Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe, is being taken to court after being accused of adultery, which is illegal in the landlocked African country.
Onesimus Sibanda, the husband of a woman who worked as a secretary in the archbishop's office, has filed a lawsuit, demanding 20 billion Zimbabwe dollars ($79.3 million) in damages from the archbishop for allegedly committing adultery with his wife, according to Zimbabwe's state radio station.
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The radio said his wife, Rosemary Sibanda, had "admitted the affair" to the state broadcasting company.
Lawyers representing Ncube have called the allegations "an orchestrated attempt" to discredit him.
The archbishop, who has firmly denied the allegations, has boldly stood against Zimbabwe's highly criticized president and even called recently for Britain to invade his country to help overthrow him.
"I think it is justified for Britain to raid Zimbabwe and remove Mugabe," the archbishop had said. "We should do it ourselves but there's too much fear. I'm ready to lead the people, guns blazing, but the people are not ready."
Ncube has reported to the international community that millions could soon die from the famine currently rife in the troubled country.
He has described Mugabe as a "massive risk to life".
According to the Catholic Information Service for Africa, Zimbabwe's president has already concluded Archbishop Ncube is guilty.
State media has quoted Mugabe as saying "the archbishop's failure to uphold celibacy was unfortunate."
Despite the claims, Southern African bishops have stood alongside Ncube, calling on the faithful in Zimbabwe and the international community to continue to praying for the archbishop during "this testing period."
"At the moment, the archbishop's guilt or innocence has yet to be proved and therefore we appeal to the media and everyone concerned to allow the law to take its course without passing premature judgment on the archbishop aimed at casting doubt on his credibility reputation and dignity," the president of the Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference, Archbishop Buti Tlhagale of Johannesburg, expressed in a statement published Friday.
Tlhagale said the allegations and corresponding publicity "unfortunately come at a time when Zimbabwe is facing one of its worst political and economic crisis in its history, a crisis which Archbishop Ncube has consistently expressed great concern about and which we believe the country should be focused on."
He added: "We, therefore, hope that Zimbabweans and the international community will not be sidetracked by these allegations in their efforts of finding a lasting solution to the serious problems bedeviling the country at present."
Pressure is building on Zimbabwe's controversial president, with inflation now hitting 15,000 percent – forcing the majority of the population deeper into poverty.
Reports from some areas of the country have warned that up to 95 percent of the crops this year have failed. This has left just enough food for a few weeks for families that needed to yield a full year's worth to survive.
Christian Post reporter Eric Young in Washington contributed to this article.
