Motivational speaker Rabison Shumba cleared of sodomy charges

By Munyaradzi Doma

HARARE – An author and motivational speaker, who was facing allegations of sodomising a church mate has been acquitted. Rabison Shumba (39) was freed after Harare magistrate Hosea Mujaya discharged him at the close of the State’s case.

The State led by prosecutor Kudai Chigwedere had led two witnesses, the 22 year old man and his mother, but the court ruled that there were many inconsistencies in their evidence.

The court also questioned why the complainant had taken five years to report the matter, adding that their evidence had differed with that they had revealed on radio.

While the State had three counts of aggravated indecent assault, the complainant testified of more the 100 counts as he said he was being sodomised every Friday and Sunday.

It was also ruled that it was difficult to believe how the complainant would continue going to the same church where he was being sodomised. At one stage, the complainant was referred for psychiatric examination as his evidence was ruled to be very difficult to understand.

With the inconsistencies in the witnesses’ evidence, Rabison was discharged at the close of the State’s case. Led by his Lawyer Harrison Nkomo, Rabison had argued that he was a Christian, a member of Celebration Church in Borrowdale, happily married with two kids.

He also told the court that he did not even have physical contact with the complainant and at the time of his arrest, he could not put the name of the complainant to the face.

Reports were that Rabison started sodomising the complainant in 2008, before he (the complainant) revealed his ordeal to his mother and they led to the motivational speakers’ arrest. The court however ruled that Rabison had not committed any offence and he was freed. H Metro