Kereke ‘threatened rape victim with gun’

By Tarisai Machakaire

HARARE – An aunt to two minors allegedly raped by Zanu PF Bikita West legislator Munyaradzi Kereke yesterday claimed that the maverick businessman and politician threatened to shoot one of the juvenile and her family if they went public with the charge.

Ndanatsei Maramwidze was testifying during Kereke’s trial continuation before Harare regional magistrate Noel Mupeiwa.

“The complainants’ mother is my husband’s sister and on October 30, 2010, the girls came for a sleep over at my house,” she said.

“During the night, the second complainant followed me to my bedroom and told me that Kereke had made inappropriate sexual advances on her.

“She said when she was at Kereke’s house, he walked into her aunt’s bedroom where she was watching over their baby and pointed a gun at her before ordering her to comply with his orders.”

Maramwidze said as the girl narrated the ordeal, she became too emotional. She later failed to narrate the full story on that day after her husband walked into the room.

“We decided that we would confide in the rest of the family the following day. We met my sister-in-law Phillipa Maramwidze at church before proceeding to Greendale at the kids’ guardians’ residence,” she said.

“…that is when the second complainant revealed that she had been raped and that she had been threatened that her whole family would perish by the gun he held at her during the act. The matter was reported to the police.”

Kereke’s lawyers from Mutandiro and Associates attempted to use a transcribed version of Maramwidze’s statement, but the magistrate rejected its use after private prosecutor Charles Warara noted that it had distorted information.

“I have since noted that the statement which is about to be used by the defence counsel differs on various aspects to the one which my client wrote,” Warara said.

He alleged that on an unknown date in March 2010, the first complainant had visited her aunt at Kereke’s residence.

Kereke was also present at the house and sent his wife to the shopping centre to get some beer. The legislator reportedly took advantage of his wife’s absence and called the complainant from the swimming pool.

Kereke allegedly grabbed the minor and started kissing her before pushing her onto a nearby couch, the court heard. he is alleged to have fondled the girl’s breasts.

The court heard that Kereke attempted to unzip his trousers but the victim screamed for help. Immediately, one of the front doors was opened and Kereke jumped up and rushed to his bedroom.

The complainant did not reveal the ordeal to anyone until August 23, 2010 when her younger sister confided in her that she had also been raped by Kereke, the court heard. Daily News