Woman, domestic worker nabbed for ‘false’ rape report
By Amanda Chikari
A 44 year old Gweru woman and her teenage domestic worker involved in a love triangle with a police officer have been arrested after allegedly framing him for attempted rape.
Lillian Musiiwa Bhuseta and the maid aged (17) of Mkoba Village Five suburb in Gweru appeared before Midlands provincial magistrate Mrs Phathekile Msipa facing charges of supplying false information to a public authority.
The madam boss and her worker were not asked to plead and remanded out of custody to today for trial.
Prosecuting, Mr Andrew Marimo told the court that on October 13 around 9AM Bhuseta and the maid discovered that they were both in a relationship with Khumalo and resolved to make him pay.
“They went to Mkoba 1 Police Station and reported that Khumalo fondled the maid’s breasts and attempted to rape her. Bhuseta was acting as a witness to the incident,” said Mr Marimo.
He said the police recorded Bhuseta and the maid’s statements.
The next day, Mr Marimo said, the maid went back to the police station where she revealed that she had been coerced by Bhuseta into making a false report to punish Khumalo for having a relationship with both of them.
“The maid was told to write an affidavit to that effect. In her affidavit accused one stated that she was forced by accused two to report the matter against Khumalo since she wanted him fixed for double crossing them,” said Mr Marimo.
In her affidavit which was produced in court, the maid wrote, “The report was a false one after my employer suspected that l was in a love affair with her boyfriend.
“My employer had a misunderstanding with Khumalo and plotted to make a false report against him, she then took my pair of pants, tore it so that l could use it as evidence to the police that l had been raped. As soon as l realised that my boyfriend was in love with me and my employer l ended our relationship.
Bhuseta forced me to make a false report to the police and I wish to withdraw the charge.” The Chronicle
