Zimbabwean Archbishop Named In an Adultery Case

HARARE, Zimbabwe — A Zimbabwean Roman Catholic archbishop, Pius Ncube, was named in an adultery case yesterday in what his lawyer called an "orchestrated attempt" to embarrass the outspoken government critic.

Archbishop Ncube was in his office at St. Mary's Cathedral in Bulawayo when court officials accompanied by a state television crew delivered documents alleging he was involved in a two-year affair with a secretary whose husband was demanding damages in a civil suit, attorney Nick Matonzi said. Mr. Matonzi said Archbishop Ncube would deny the allegations in civil court when it convenes at an unspecified date. The archbishop declined to answer questions about his private life in a television interview, but he spoke of the importance of forgiveness. State radio reported that the woman, identified as Rosemary Sibanda, "admitted the affair" to the state broadcasting company. The radio report said the woman's husband, Onesimus Sibanda, was demanding $160,000 in damages. Archbishop Ncube went on state television saying that a key doctrine preached by the church was forgiveness when there was weakness. "I will not answer this question concerning my private life," he said in the interview.