Seven Zimbabwean victims of notorious British evangelist and sexual abuser John Smyth have launched a legal claim against the Church of England, alleging that senior clergy orchestrated a cover-up that allowed him to continue abusing boys in Africa, possibly in South Africa.

The group, represented by UK law firm Leigh Day, includes six men who were abused as teenagers at Christian holiday camps Smyth ran in Zimbabwe, and the mother of Guide Nyachuru, a 16-year-old boy whose body was found in a swimming pool at one of Smyth’s camps in 1992.

Their claim argues that the Church of England’s failure to report Smyth’s known abuse in Britain between 1982 and 1984 directly led to his relocation to Zimbabwe — and later South Africa — where he continued to prey on vulnerable boys. The victims say there is a direct line between the Church’s inaction in the UK and the horrors that unfolded in Africa.

The Church of England is the official state church in England and the mother church of the global Anglican Communion, which includes the Anglican Church of Southern Africa. Headed by the British monarch and led spiritually by the Archbishop of Canterbury, it remains one of the most powerful and influential Christian institutions in the world. Its clergy and missionary networks helped establish many of the Anglican churches across former British colonies, including in Zimbabwe and South Africa.

In England, Smyth, a barrister and lay preacher, is known to have beaten boys naked in a purpose-built, soundproofed shed in his garden, often for hours at a time. Victims were left bleeding and humiliated, some forced to wear adult nappies to stem the bleeding. An internal church investigation at the time acknowledged the criminality of his actions, but no report was made to police. Instead, Smyth was quietly encouraged to leave the country.

After discussions among senior clergy, Smyth moved to Zimbabwe, where he set up the Zambesi Trust UK to fund his ministry and expenses. The trust’s Council of Reference included prominent conservative evangelicals, and its funding enabled Smyth to host Christian camps where the abuse continued. He later ran similar camps in South Africa during the 1990s and 2000s, where further allegations of abuse later surfaced.

Leigh Day’s letter of claim has been sent to St Andrew the Great Church in Cambridge, which employed the late Reverend Mark Ruston, who led the Church’s internal investigation into Smyth’s conduct in 1982. It alleges that Ruston and other senior church officers deliberately concealed the abuse to protect the Church’s reputation, particularly within its conservative evangelical network.

The Makin Review, an independent report commissioned by the Church of England and published in 2024, found that Church leaders had “actively covered up” Smyth’s abuse and viewed him as “a problem solved and exported to Africa.”

The Archbishop of Canterbury resigned following the report’s publication, and disciplinary proceedings have since been initiated against several clergy. One of the claimants, Rocky Leanders

Leigh Day solicitor Rebekah Read, who represents the Zimbabwean claimants, said the case is about accountability:

“The Church of England had multiple opportunities to stop John Smyth and protect vulnerable boys. Instead, it chose to protect its reputation and take control of sweeping this horrific abuse under the carpet. Our clients are seeking justice not only for themselves, but to ensure such failures are never repeated.”

One of the claimants, Rocky Leanders, said the shame and trauma inflicted by Smyth have never faded.

“After the Makin report was published I expected some redress. But none came. I feel increasingly angry that the Church of England exported this criminal to Zimbabwe. I am sharing my story to raise awareness and encourage other survivors of abuse to speak out.”

Edith Nyachuru, sister of the late Guide Nyachuru, said the Church’s silence has prolonged her family’s grief.

“My brother Guide was just 16 when he died at Smyth’s camp. For years, we have lived with unanswered questions and unimaginable grief. The Church of England had the power to stop Smyth before he ever came to Zimbabwe. Instead, they chose silence. We want truth, accountability, and change.”