By GERSHOM NDHLOVU
A MAVERICK Zambian who describes himself as a prince, reverend, journalist and has intentions of contesting the republican presidency is facing 20 years in jail for rape in the United States.
Prince Nathaniel Tumbwe, 47, who broke onto the Zambian political scene around 1994 when he used to issue press statements in support of former president Kenneth Kaunda and UNIP when the former ruling party was at its lowest ebb, is accused of raping a 60 year-old woman he served with as an elder in a local church in southwestern Dallas.
Prince Nathaniel Tumbwe
According to the Dallas News website, Tumbwe is charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Prosecutors allege the deadly weapon was his penis and bodily fluids that contained the HIV virus. He faces up to 20 years in prison, if convicted.
Prosecutors Josh Healy and Kate Pfeifle say there is no doubt about the guilt of Tumbwe, whose body visibly shook throughout Tuesday’s testimony. But his defense attorneys, Michael Levine and Omar Nawaz, contend that prosecutors “concocted” the charge against their client because the victim now regrets having a relationship with him. (Read full Dallas News story here)
Prince Tumbwe runs a blog (here) and, ironically, the last post on the blog of November 12, 2007 is entitled A Confession of Sort. It is however not related to the ongoing rape case.
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