Lest We Forget, Wife Basher George Charamba
This week in our ongoing Lest We Forget series we look at Robert Mugabe’s press spokesman and Permanent Secretary in the Information Ministry George Charamba.
On the 24th February 2005 Charamba who has a black belt in Karate battered his wife Rudo after she accused him of infecting her with the deadly HIV virus that causes AIDS. Close associates said the beating was an attempt to kill her. Not only did he severely beat up Rudo but he also went on to beat up her baby.
Although Charamba was arrested for the savage assault, his boss President Mugabe directed police commissioner Augustine Chihuri to see to it that the case was dropped. The official spin put on the matter was that Rudo Charamba had withdrawn the charges. Charamba’s lawyer then was Johannes Tomana, who is now the country’s Attorney General.
Charamba, a known serial womaniser is said to have arrived from a trip with Mugabe to Cuba but instead of going home, he went to spend the night with a prostitute who is also known to his wife. Rudo after hearing of her husband’s escapades decided to get tested and found out she was HIV positive.
When Charamba finally went back home, a crying Rudo asked him why he had brought the disease into their marriage. Charamba went into a rage beating up his wife until she fell unconscious. Her friends rushed to report the matter at Borrowdale Police Station and also kept her blood stained dress as evidence. So far Charamba has escaped any prosecution over the matter.
