UPDATE: UZ student drops rape charges, reconciles with boyfriend

The 23-year-old University of Zimbabwe student, who reported her boyfriend for rape about two weeks ago, has withdrawn the charges after allegedly reconciling with him.

The H Metro tabloid newspaper quotes the woman saying that her boyfriend, Tamuda Dyirakumunda (22) who is also a student at UZ, had pleaded for mercy, after spending a night in police holding cells.

“He is my lover, he pleaded for mercy and I withdrew the charges at the Harare Magistrates’ Court.

“We have reconciled and buried the hatchet,” said the woman.

Tamuda meanwhile spoke to Nehanda Radio on Friday and told us “she went to the police because she was heartbroken we had a difficult breakup.

“She then regretted going to the police because seeing as she was emotionally charged at the time she has since expressed this to me via text and then withdrew the charges.”

“To be honest, the accusations affected me, my family and my career. I never raped her as alleged, but unongozivaoka zvinoita vasikana kana wamuramba. I regret my actions,” he said.

The woman, who is on attachment, lodged a police report against Tamuda on April 8 claiming that he had raped her on March 26, in an office.

Tamuda had allegedly told her that he had lost affection for her on April 7.