Mugabe henchman seeks NZ refuge
He tortured and killed on behalf of one of Africa’s most-reviled leaders; now he wants to start a life here. By Jacques Steenkamp.
A former Zimbabwe secret police officer who murdered for President Robert Mugabe’s regime has entered New Zealand on a fake passport and is trying to set up a life here. William Nduku, his tribal name, arrived in New Zealand in 2015. Living in limbo, he was refused asylum or the right to work and study and has been forced to survive on handouts from friends and the expat community and could face death if deported back to Zimbabwe.
On arrival in New Zealand, the 31-year-old said he immediately informed Immigration New Zealand that he’d entered the country under an assumed identity and was seeking asylum.
At 19, he had been forced to serve in Mugabe’s secret police and participated in up to 20 murders, several rapes and multiple tortures.
He escaped Zimbabwe more than a decade ago saying his life was at risk; now he wants to start life anew in New Zealand, he told the SUnday Star-Times in an exclusive interview.
Nduku spent several months in Mt Eden prison and claims members of the Mongrel Mob assaulted him regularly.
Immigration Minister Michael Woodhouse said he was prevented from discussing the case due to privacy.
A spokesperson for Woodhouse said he stood by all decisions made in relation to this case.
Nduku said he had been living off the generosity of others in Auckland, doing cash jobs since he lacked the right to work.
‘‘It sometimes feels like the Government wants me to steal so that I can survive.’’
Zimbabwe’s secret police are infamous for the extreme violence they mete out to crush dissent.
Nduku said he was indoctrinated into this system from an early age. He said he had been forced to join Mugabe’s forces.
Born into a life of poverty, he lost his parents and a sister to HIV/Aids and had to scavenge for food.
Once in the forces, he was trained in torture.
He recalled being told to drive a car into a large lake. When they got into the car they found a bag of cement, and realised that somebody was tied-up in the boot.
‘‘Someone was watching us. We could see the glint of binoculars in the distance and it made us nervous. The man in the boot was badly beaten and disfigured. We ended up mixing the cement and pouring it into the boot with him.
‘‘But we never locked the boot as we drove the vehicle into the lake. I guess we hoped it would give the man a fighting chance to try and escape.’’
Nduku turned his back and walked away that day, never knowing whether the man survived.
While he had to witness and practice atrocities, he said he also saved lives, claiming he always offered money from his own pocket to people who were earmarked for torture to aid their escape.
Nduku said it took two years as part of the secret police to realise he would be killed like many of his peers if he didn’t escape Zimbabwe.
He made it to Namibia and crossed the border into South Africa, where he bought a fake ID for R15,000 (NZ$1500). This let him apply for a South African passport.
Human rights lawyer Deborah Manning has tried and failed to convince New Zealand’s Government to issue him a work or student visa.
Executive director of Amnesty International New Zealand Grant Bayldon said the case was difficult to comment on.
‘‘Despite the nature of this case, the New Zealand Government must ensure a fair process to address his claims, along with a commitment to do so quickly.’’
Nduku said he was desperately keen to make a life here and he wanted to study.
‘‘Speak to me again in eight years and I’ll have my PHD. I just want the chance to make something of myself.’’