Duke of Sussex reeling from UK court loss as African Parks admits to ‘pain and suffering’
Prince Harry has been dealt another serious setback following the loss of his legal battle over police protection in the UK, as a conservation charity he is closely linked with has admitted to human rights abuses in Africa.
African Parks, where the Duke of Sussex serves on the board of directors and formerly held the role of president, confirmed on Friday that some of its rangers committed abuses against indigenous people in the Republic of Congo.
An independent investigation found credible reports of park rangers involved in rape, beatings, and torture of members of the Baka community in Odzala-Kokoua National Park. The organisation admitted:
"We deeply regret the pain and suffering... caused to the victims."
In its official statement, African Parks also acknowledged systemic failures, saying:
"Several failures of our systems and processes… were insufficient for the level of responsibility given to us, particularly in the early years of our management."
African Parks currently manages 23 national parks across 13 African countries and is now under heightened scrutiny. The findings have raised difficult questions for Prince Harry, who has been involved with the organisation since 2016.
This troubling news comes shortly after his resignation from the board of Sentebale, the charity he co-founded, amid what has been described as financial instability and internal challenges—adding to an increasingly difficult period for the Duke.
