John Nkomo faces sodomy charges

By Lance Guma

A 31 year old Bulawayo man, Mncedisi Twala, has sensationally claimed that ZANU PF National Chairman, John Nkomo, molested him in April 2002. After first fleeing to South Africa Twala says he came back after the formation of the unity government and filed a police complaint in July.

The police however refused to investigate his complaint until last week Thursday when they called him to supply more information. He was arrested, allegedly for making a false report, and spent 6 days in custody. Twala also claims attempts were made at Luveve Police station to inject him with a mysterious substance.

In 2002 Twala was taking photographs at Centenary Park in Bulawayo and says he met Nkomo there. Nkomo was then Home Affairs Minister and invited Twala to his room at the Rainbow Hotel, promising him a job. Twala claims the Minister then tried to kiss him while pressing his body against his and dancing to country music.

More sordid activities were to take place that we cannot publish. Twala says at the end of it all Nkomo’s bodyguards threatened him with death if he reported what happened. He was then given an envelope with Z$2000 with a note marked ‘Service Fees’.

The death of Joseph Msika, and the acrimonious race to succeed him within ZANU PF, has thrown open the possibility of a dirty game being played to undermine Nkomo, considered the front runner. His supporters have already accused Twala of being used by Governor Cain Mathema and Mines Minister Obert Mpofu, to torpedo Nkomo’s bid for the Vice Presidency.

Twala in his defence says he approached the South African Human Rights Commission in 2003 and reported the matter, but they told him to seek help from the MDC offices in South Africa. He said during that time Nkomo was not being linked to the Vice Presidency.

People commenting on the story have pointed to the striking similarities between the testimonies of the late Jefta Dube, who was sodomized by the late President Canaan Banana. Dube, just like Twala, says Banana played country music and wanted to dance with his victims.

Banana was convicted in 1998 of 11 counts of sodomy, attempted sodomy and indecent assault, all stemming from incidents with young bodyguards, gardeners and cooks assigned to him when he was President from 1980 to 1987. A murder trial involving Dube exposed the abuses, as Dube in his defence claimed the man he killed had taunted him as ‘Banana’s Wife’. Source: SW Radio Africa