Last edited: July 11, 2004


Former African Leader Banana Is Dead

Gay.com / PlanetOut.com Network, November 11, 2003
http://www.planetout.com/pno/news/article.html?2003/11/11/4

SUMMARY: Canaan Sodindo Banana, a former president of Zimbabwe who was jailed on gay sex abuse charges, died on Monday at the age of 67.

Canaan Sodindo Banana, a former president of Zimbabwe who was jailed on gay sex abuse charges, died on Monday at the age of 67. According to state radio in Zimbabwe, he died after a long illness.

Banana was the first black president of the country. He served as the country’s ceremonial president from March 1, 1980, to Dec. 31, 1987, the Associated Press reported.

In 1998, he was convicted on 11 counts of attempting to coerce sexual relations with other men, several of whom worked for Banana in the State House. He was sentenced to 10 years in an “open prison” that allowed him to take shopping excursions. After six months, he was released for good behavior.

Banana and his wife denied the charges, saying they were politically motivated.

The current president of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe, has denounced gays and lesbians as “lower than pigs or dogs.” 


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