Edith Nyachuru reveals that her brother was on track to become head boy at his school before tragically passing away. She holds the Church of England responsible for his death, blaming them for not stopping child abuser John Smyth, who ran a Christian holiday camp in Zimbabwe where her brother drowned.
Nyachuru explains that Smyth was known for his abusive behavior towards boys, as revealed in a 1982 report by Anglican clergyman Mark Ruston. Despite this, Smyth continued his abusive practices in Zimbabwe, where he established his own organization and inflicted similar punishments on camp attendees.
Guide Nyachuru’s untimely death occurred at a camp run by Smyth, where he drowned after swimming naked with other boys. His family received the devastating news only 12 hours after dropping him off at the camp.
Witnesses recall Smyth’s fixation on nakedness at his camps, where he would often parade around without clothes and shower with the boys. Former students described Smyth as friendly and approachable, despite his inappropriate behavior.
The abuse came to light when a parent discovered severe bruises on her son after attending one of Smyth’s camps. This led to an investigation by Zimbabwean lawyer David Coltart, uncovering the disturbing truth about Smyth’s abusive practices.
One camper revealed that Smyth would beat him multiple times a day with a table tennis bat, causing severe bruising. The camper also mentioned that Smyth would check for extra layers of clothing to ensure the beatings were felt more intensely.
Overall, Nyachuru’s heartbreaking story sheds light on the tragic consequences of the Church of England’s failure to address the abusive behavior of John Smyth, ultimately resulting in the loss of her brother’s life. BBC “But acting tough, you are a boy.”
Former Zimbabwean cricketer Henry Olonga, who was present at the camp when Guide died, mentioned that for many boarding school students, corporal punishment was considered normal in his 2015 autobiography.
However, after Coltart discovered the Rushton report, the severity of the issue became evident. He demanded that Smyth immediately cease the Zambesi Ministries camps.
Coltart found that Smyth targeted boys, groomed young men, and engaged in abusive behavior, including encouraging them to shower naked with him. Despite Coltart’s efforts to address the situation, Smyth remained uncooperative.
Rather than complying with Coltart’s requests, Smyth defended his actions, including nudity and corporal punishment, in a letter to parents before the August 1993 camps.
Coltart discovered that Smyth took photographs of naked boys for publicity purposes and consulted psychologists who advised that Smyth should not work with children.
Smyth was eventually charged with culpable homicide and other charges related to the beatings, but the prosecution faced challenges and the case was essentially shelved in 1997.
In a letter, Justin Welby acknowledged Smyth’s responsibility for Guide’s death.
Despite efforts to hold Smyth accountable, he managed to avoid deportation from Zimbabwe and eventually moved to South Africa, where he resided until his death in 2018.
Smyth was excommunicated by his local church in 2017 after being publicly named as an abuser.
It wasn’t until 2021 that Welby apologized to Ms. Nyachuru for Smyth’s actions, prompting her to call for the resignation of church leaders who failed to intervene.
Coltart believes that other institutions in the UK also need to take responsibility for failing to prevent Smyth’s abuse in Zimbabwe.
He praised the Church of England’s Makin report and urged them to reach out to victims in African countries, including Zimbabwe.
Many victims of Smyth’s abuse are still traumatized and in need of support, according to Coltart.
Smyth’s actions were shielded both in England and Zimbabwe. La protección duró tanto tiempo que privó a las víctimas de la oportunidad de enfrentarse a Smyth como adultos.
Reportaje adicional de Gabriela Pomeroy de la BBC.
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