Zimbabwe's VP denies sexual misconduct allegations
Harare, Zimbabwe - Zimbabwe's 71-year-old Vice President Kembo Mohadi on Wednesday refuted accusations of sexual misconduct by an online news outlet, saying he is the victim of "political machinations".
An online publication ZimLive has in recent days published audio recordings of phone conversations it claims are of Mohadi apparently soliciting sex from several women including, a married junior intelligence officer in his office.
In one of the racy audios, a man can be heard scheduling to have sex at his office.
Reading out a statement, at a news conference, Mohadi "categorically" distanced himself from the "imagined immoral behaviour", and accused unnamed political opponents of waging a voice morphing campaign to discredit him.
"I am innocent and a victim of political machinations being peddled through hacking and voice cloning," said Mohadi, a former intelligence minister.
"The allegations levelled against me are not only false but well choreographed to demean, to condescend, soil my image as a national leader and as a patriot of this country."
Mohadi a retired soldier and veteran of the country's liberation war is one of Zimbabwe's two vice presidents.
Pledging his loyalty as a "committed leader... and servant of this great nation", Mohadi said his fate lay with President Emmerson Mnangagwa as the appointing authority.