Harare - Prosecutors urged Zimbabwe's High Court yesterday to jail the former president, Mr Canaan Banana, for sex crimes, charging that one of his male victims was "raped to total madness". The prosecutors acknowledged a political dimension to the case, which has involved talks between President Robert Mugabe and President Nelson Mandela of South Africa, but said that aspect should be left "with the politicians".
Mr Banana jumped bail in November and fled to South Africa, returning last week just days after talks in Harare between Mr Mugabe and Mr Mandela. Both prosecution and defence lawyers acknowledged in court yesterday that those talks played a vital part in Banana's return, but disagreed over whether it was voluntary or not. The defence said Mr Banana fled because he had been warned that he was in physical danger and returned after "receiving assurances as to his well-being", while the prosecution suggested he was forced to return.
Mr Banana was convicted in absentia on 10 charges involving sodomy and indecent assault and one count of common assault, mostly committed while he was president between 1980 and 1987.