Kereke rape case: Justice delayed
By Tichaona Muchazivepi
The name Munyaradzi Kereke triggers all kinds of reactions within people. The former advisor to Dr. Gideon Gono, the former governor of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe and now turned legislator for Bikita West constituency is indeed a man whose life is mired in all things possible.
Currently, when one mentions Munyaradzi Kereke, what might immediately come to your mind is the numerous court cases that he is directly involved in, either being sued himself or him doing the suing.
One might also be tempted to think of the numerous pages of letters he has written to all kinds of people from members of the Presidium, attendees to a business planning conference and right down to members of various newsrooms.
You could grant it that this man is not only energetic but also highly creative given his penchant of putting pen to paper. His imagination allows him in one missive, to educate the Vice-President of the country, Honorable Joice Mujuru, on the constitution in one breath and within the same pages he calls the same Vice President the head of a “kangaroo court”.
From such a visceral and direct attack on the person of the Presidium, he then lashes out at the head of the country’s CIO, Happyton Bonyongwe, whom he all but dresses down as a corrupt officer of law and an unfit person incapable of any leadership at all.
This venom spitting by Munyaradzi Kereke is one which when looked into closely paints a humorous yet very sad and serious picture of the social ills that plague Zimbabwe.
Munyaradzi Kereke has been a man pointing fingers towards all and sundry; from alleging that his former boss at RBZ, Dr. Gideon Gono of all manner of corruption and theft during their time working as subordinates, to alleging that someone, most likely his former boss (again!) made his wife and child disappear in September of 2012 and to finally allege that by conducting and chairing a kangaroo court deliberating on rape allegations against Kereke, VP Mujuru had seriously inhibited her chances of political success in her political ambitions!
It’s the unceasing finger pointing which when juxtaposed with the one main finger pointing in his direction, makes one shake their head with incredulity. The bible speaks in Luke 6 verse 41 and asks:
“Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?
Munyaradzi Kereke for all accounts is a man that has walked the streets freely yet with a damning rape accusation hanging over his head. Given the wave of rape cases that have been brought before courts, the debate on the severity of punishment for those found guilty and the issues inherent of lives shattered by this beastly and cruel crime, directly and by collateral damage. It then suffices to say the longer the National Prosecution Authority defer, aver, postpone, adjourn and any other legal term that they may muster, will simply mean delay.
This is what will stay sad about their delay: the fact that justice is denied! It questions the very legality of Munyaradzi Kereke being a bonafide and legitimate member of parliament for Bikita West.
It simply questions the very human act of Munyaradzi Kereke walking the streets breathing free air like you and me. The significant and indeed most poignant difference: you and me certainly are not alleged sex offenders with serious allegations of raping a minor such as is the case with Munyaradzi Kereke.
Justice delayed is justice denied. This is true in the case of the alleged rape of a minor by the legislator Munyaradzi Kereke in 2010. To think if the course of justice had been allowed to turn its wheels, today the legitimacy of this legislator would not be in question.
ZANU PF would potentially have had a very simple and clear endorsement of Munyaradzi Kereke as its candidate for Bikita West and not expelled him on the basis of a doppelgänger hanging over his head. These are all upsides that would have come from the swift execution of justice.
Importantly, the victim’s family would have by now found some much needed healing whichever way the case would have been settled, guilty or not guilty. For they would have benefitted immensely from closure. That’s all the victims family seeks. Closure!
The sad reality is that the alleged victim continues to grow and develop into a mature woman with each passing deferment as well as year. How does our noble and righteous prosecuting office expect this young girl to carry on with her life?
If it were your daughter, would you sleep soundly at night fully knowing that the man you accuse of raping your daughter roams the streets freely? To make matters worse, it’s not as if the alleged offender, was immediately swallowed into an abyss, No!
This alleged offender is a public official who without fail turns up at the country’s law-making chambers at the House of Parliament without fear of arrest! So it’s not through lack of availability of the suspect but more to do with a lack of will to serve justice.
As the courts deliberate on whether to indict Munyaradzi Kereke on rape allegations, we choose to task the country’s legal and justice systems, in this case, how will history judge you? If the current wave of salaries saga sweeping through the country, I sincerely hope that no such wind will sweep through the corridors of the Attorney- General’s office as well as that of the National Prosecutor’s office.
For in that instance, whilst for now those that have list faith in the delivery of justice may have implicit views and feelings, upon being exposed that there might have been cover – ups, for other people who might be more equal than others, the loss of confidence in the system will be scathing and very explicit!
Over the years, Zimbabwe has battled to lay legitimate claims that the rule of law is alive and in practice. It is with such examples of high profile cases which never see the day in court that continue to debilitate honest and hard sweat efforts of well meaning law officers and enforcers in the legal system.
The people of Zimbabwe humbly demand justice for all whose lives are caught up in the Munyaradzi Kereke rape allegations. Not only is it due, it has been delayed thus denied and ultimately is now long – overdue. Mr. Johannes Tomana, please show us you are worthy of the office you bear.
The buck stops with you! Kindly help remove the biblical log in Munyaradzi Kereke eye, clearing the path for him to be a legitimate member of society allowing him to serve Zimbabwe freely. Unless there is something that forbids you from doing your job, which would explain the frivolous and almost unashamed piteous pathetic excuses your office has given to date for failure of prosecuting this heinous crime.
Poetic justice however reminds us all that some day “the truth will out! For now we can only digest what has been placed into the public domain and hopefully see a day soon when the courts will confirm or reject the public assertions.
These are that Munyaradzi Kereke is alleged to have raped a minor with a gun pointed to her head as a means of silencing her during the alleged rape.
That this trigger happy MK at one time fired his gun in a public place in Masvingo during what was another female bashing incident in a Masvingo hotel.
That the same man went unpunished for this very dangerous crime of not only brandishing a weapon but firing it in the direction of fellow human beings in what surely other jurisdictions would charge such a man with attempted murder.
That the same Munyaradzi Kereke was part of the forging and creation of a fake medical affidavit in trumped up charges against innocent RBZ security personnel whose reputations, professional and social standings were no doubt affected in a gravely negative way.
Yet in spite of all these transgressions of law, Munyaradzi Kereke roams the streets of Zimbabwe with total disregard and without a care! Surely, justice must be seen to be done, albeit severely delayed. We await the day when such justice will be delivered.
Who knows, there are many Zimbabweans out there who have suffered at the hands of Munyaradzi Kereke and those of his ilk who are scared to come out simply because so far Munyaradzi Kereke, MP, has proved beyond reasonable doubt that he is not only untouchable, but above the courts and the law as well.
