Canaan Banana is found guilty of sexual offences

Former Zimbabwean president and minister of the Methodist church, Canaan Banana, was found guilty by the Harare High Court on eleven charges of sodomy, attempted sodomy and indecent assault. Banana was not present when the guilty verdict was given as he had fled a week earlier to Botswana. Judge Godfrey Chidyausiku immediately issued a warrant for Banana's arrest. His bail was also revoked and the title deed to his Harare mansion was impounded. The Botswana Police promised to launch a manhunt to find and extradite the former president, but his whereabouts remained unclear. Those close to him could or would not help the police. If he returned to Zimbabwe he would face twenty-five years' imprisonment. His victims included members of the football team he coached at the University of Zimbabwe, a chef, a gardener and a bodyguard.