By Zvikomborero Parafini
Controversial Madzibaba Spenlodge Madenyika who was facing fresh rape charges was last week acquitted with the presiding magistrate ruling that he had given him the benefit of doubt after realising that both he and the complainant were grossly dishonest.
Madzibaba Spenlodge was acquitted after a full trial by regional magistrate Morgan Nemadire.
In giving his ruling, Magistrate Nemadire said throughout the trial, the complainant showed that she was dishonest, she was an agent who sourced clients to stage fake miracles at Madenyika’s church which showed that she was a dishonest witness.
On the hand, Nemadire said Madenyika’s testimony in his defence case was not truthful and often contradicted himself and in the circumstances, the court is then forced to lean more towards the accused person even though it wasn’t really clear whether he raped her or not.
The State led by regional prosecutor Sheila Mupindu had claimed that on August 27, Madenyika called the complainant who is 27 years old and asked to meet her at a service station in Southerton so that he could give her some money.
At around 7:45, Madenyika picked up the complainant so that he could give her the money without anybody seeing it.
The court heard that Madenyika drove along Harare Drive and parked near Willow road with the complainant seated at the back.
It was further alleged that Madenyika went to the car’s back seat and began molesting the complainant before he raped her and ordered her not to tell anyone as he was going to publish the matter in newspapers.
After the incident, Madenyika drove away from the scene and later dropped the complainant who dropped her panties in the car before she went to her friend’s house who accompanied her to their pastor’s house who in turn discussed the issue with complainant’s husband.
Charles Chikore appeared on behalf of Madenyika. H-Metro