In brief
A grieving sister, Edith Nyachuru, holds the Church of England responsible for her brother's death at a camp run by convicted abuser John Smyth. Despite previous warnings and evidence of Smyth's abuses in the UK, the Church failed to stop his actions in Zimbabwe. Calls for accountability surge as the community seeks justice for past victims.
In a haunting revelation, Edith Nyachuru accuses the Church of England of complicity in her brother Guide's tragic death at a Christian holiday camp in Zimbabwe, run by notorious child abuser John Smyth. Guide, aged just 16, drowned shortly after arriving at the camp, a place that should have been safe, according to Edith, who emphatically states, "The Church knew about the abuses that John Smyth was doing. They should have stopped him." John Smyth, a former British barrister who moved to Zimbabwe in 1984, had a troubling history. Reports dating back to 1982 disclosed his brutal treatment of boys at Christian camps in the UK, raising alarms about physical and sexual abuse. Yet even with such significant evidence at hand, Smyth was able to establish himself in Zimbabwe, allegedly meting out similar horrific punishments under the guise of a legitimate Christian organization, Zambesi Ministries.Edith Nyachuru recalled the joy of her younger brother's anticipated Christmas trip, which turned to anguish when they received a call informing them of his death just hours after his arrival. Describing Guide as a loved and talented student set to become the head boy, she mournfully pondered, "Had they stopped him, I think my brother would still be alive." Despite testimonies from other boys who had experienced Smyth's abusive practices, including corporal punishment with a table tennis bat, the Church failed to take decisive action. Legal intervention eventually prohibited Smyth from continuing his camps in Zimbabwe, but the damage was already done. No post-mortem was performed on Guide, and the family faced a harrowing ordeal as they buried him, presided over by the very man they held responsible for his death.Frustrated by the Church's prolonged silence and neglect, Nyachuru received an apology from Archbishop Justin Welby only in 2021, describing it as "too little, too late." She now advocates for the resignation of senior church leaders who overlooked Smyth's unchecked abuse. "If they see something not going in the right direction, they should go to the police," she insists.David Coltart, the Zimbabwean lawyer who attempted to confront Smyth's abuses, lamented that the Church's failure to act not only harmed victims in Zimbabwe but still reverberates within institutions in the UK. As community members continue to grapple with the fallout from Smyth's actions, calls intensify for the Church of England to address past failures and support other potential victims suffering from the long-term effects of psychological trauma.For many in their community, the scars of Smyth's abusive reign linger on. Jason Leanders, a former camper, stated that many are reluctant to share their traumatic experiences with him, highlighting the protective silence that has enveloped Smyth, both in England and Zimbabwe. "The protection went on for so long," he encapsulated, "it robbed victims the chance to confront Smyth as adults." As the Church confronts this darkness in its history, it faces an urgent call from victims and advocates for accountability and meaningful outreach to support those still suffering in the shadows.
