Mafundi is a political activist, organizer and revolutionary who has been active politically over the last 50 years throughout the country. He has been a target of the local government, the FBI, the secret service and the military intelligence. He has been identified as a Black extremist in the FBI and other governmental agencies files. Mafundi has been affiliated with such political groups as the
Black Panther Party, the African Peoples Socialist Party, the New African Peoples Organization and others. He has worked on high profile political cases such as Bobby Seale’s case in New Haven, CT, Hurricane Carter’s case in New Jersey, Gary Tyler in Louisiana, Joan Little’s case in North Carolina, Dessie Woods’ case in Georgia and many more. Mafundi was a founding member and chairman of the revolutionary prisoner organization, the Inmates for Action (IFA). He was a founding member and the 1st chairman of the Committee for Prisoner Support in Birmingham (CPSB). He helped organize and was the 1st chairman of the Afrikan Peoples Survival Committee. He was instrumental in organizing the Families for Action, an organization of families of prisoners. At the time of his arrest for the current conviction, he was the president of the Elyton Village Tenants Council and the president of the Smithfield Neighborhood Association, both in Birmingham. Mafundi also worked with SCLC and the Richard Arrington, Jr. election committee which helped Arrington to become the 1st Black Mayor of Birmingham, AL. (Arrington served as mayor for 20 years. He was elected mayor five (5) times). Mafundi worked on some of the high profile cases in Alabama such as the Bonita Carter case in Birmingham, the Tommy Lee Hines case in Decatur, the Robert Davis case in Hueytown, the Dubose case in Eufaula, and many others. This is only a microcosm of Mafundi’s political involvement throughout the country. Mafundi was a tireless, relentless and effective advocate for justice and human dignity. Historically Blacks who stand up and speak out against racism and injustice invariable are marked for death or imprisonment. First, such men or women are demonized and criminalized to undermine any support they might have or receive. What better way to demonize a Black political activist than to accuse him of such a dastardly and vile crime as r**e! Unfortunately, a lot of people, especially in the Black community, think that when a person is accused and arrested of a crime, that person must be guilty of something. Regardless of the person’s past reputation, morals, integrity, and work in the community, such an accusation tends to isolate them from their community and supporters. A great number of people are fair weather supporters and have short memories of the good work done by the accused, and they are easily deceived and manipulated against their own best interest. Mafundi loves his family and is totally supported by them. He is married to Carolyn “Weyni Njeri” Lake and they are the parents of six (6) wonderful and talented children. Two (2) of them are retired from the U. Another is working on her doctorate degree. Another has a master’s degree in electrical engineering. One works for the City of Birmingham and one works for the University Hospital in Birmingham. Carolyn retired from the City of Birmingham as a systems analyst. Mafundi’s family and support committee have traveled across the country on his behalf and are determined to prove his innocence and secure his release. The primary purpose for political repression, persecution and prosecution of those who oppose the status quo – who stand up and speak out -- is to intimidate and destroy them, their families and their family relationships. Furthermore, it serves as an example of what happens to those who do. This tactic has not worked with Mafundi’s family. They have steadfastly stood by his side for more than 29 years. Also, his supporters and friends have stood firmly by him and his family. They realize that this is a frame-up like many others used to criminalize and destroy strong, principled leaders in our community. Those who know Mafundi -- his family, friends and supporters -- believe that his integrity, morals and principles would not allow him to commit such a heinous crime as r**e. Not only that, there is no evidence that a r**e was even committed, which has been and should be vital to convicting anyone of felony r**e. Mafundi has maintained the same principles inside prison that he possessed before entering.
