You don't need to burden yourself with how I view relationships generally, but your personal relationship experience may not have had the weight of events that this person is experiencing now, and "goodwill" is an expression of the continued legal cooperation that he'd need to relieve himself of that other problem he has, the fear bit. It would be really far further than simply "sad" to be a political prisoner in Zimbabwe and since relationships can fail for any number of reasons, editorially, your comment regarding my "view" is well off the mark.
I'd prefer personally to be addressing my safety issues before I go about any other sort of status pursuit. If you don't acknowledge the sur place aspect of refugee law that's fine, for you, but it is his life and this "charge" looks to come from his on-line postings after leaving his country. Ergo, his evidence is all over the internet in his writings, and the warrant for his arrest is the cherry on the proverbial sundae. They've read his postings, they don't like his postings, and they're going to fix his wagon when they get their hands on him.
Will he win at the Board? I like his odds and I hope that he lets us know because it is a fascinating (and resented) precedent in refugee law and he looks to fit neatly into it. If the Board doesn't like his case it is quite likely that the Federal Court may.
Still - he should get a lawyer for legal advice and then he can discuss these differing views with someone paid to look after his interests.
Enjoy your day