Ian Smith’s ‘king maker’ found dead

Press, 2 December 1985, Page 8

Ian Smith’s ‘king maker’ found dead

NZPA-Reuter Harare One of Zimbabwe’s most prominent farmers and top political figures in former Rhodesia, Douglas “Boss” Lilford, was killed on his farm near Harare at the week-end, a neighbour who found his body says. Mr Lilford, aged 77, was a close associate of the Rhodesian Prime Minister, lan Smith, and a founder member of the Rhodesia Front party in 1962, which three years later declared unilateral independence from Britain. Rita Purchase, wife of Mr Lilford’s racehorse trainer, said that she and her husband had been summoned to his farm, 25km from Harare, soon after midnight by Mr Lilford’s maid.

“He was tied up with his hands behind his back, had obviously been beaten up and eventually shot through the head.”

The police confirmed that Mr Lilford, a widower, had been found dead but declined to comment on the circumstances. Mrs Purchase said that she and her husband had dined with Mr Lilford at his farm west of Harare and left about 10.30 p.m. The maid reported that a gang of men had arrived at the farm soon after that and Mr Lilford bad shot and wounded one of them before being overpowered. The gang had demanded guns and the keys to a safe but appeared to have left in Mr Lilford’s car without stealing anything. Mr Lilford, one of the wealthiest figures in Zimbabwe, was born in Grahamstown, South Africa, in 1908, and was taken to the then Southern Rhodesia as an infant by his farmer parents. He was regarded as a “king maker” in the Rhodesia Front after helping Mr Smith oust Winston Field as Rhodesian Prime Minister in 1964. He quit the party in 1982.

Throughout Rhodesia’s break with Britain, Mr Lilford staunchly opposed every constitutional settlement proposal that offered political power to blacks.

As well as his 13,350 ha tobacco and cattle farm,, he also owned several other estates in the south-east of the country.