Prosper Dembedza Court Correspondent
Johane Masowe yeChishanu Church leader Lloyd Gwasarira (popularly known as Madzibaba Moses), who was facing rape charges, on Monday walked out of court a free man after he was cleared at the close of the State case.
Gwasarira, through his defence, stated that the allegations were made up by the complainant to get the sympathy and attention of her husband.
In her ruling, Harare provincial magistrate Mrs Bianca Makwande raised critical questions as to why the complainant went to meet Gwasarira alone for the second time after she had been allegedly raped and why she did not reveal both counts to her husband.
The State was alleging that sometime in February 2016, Gwasarira approached the complainant at her house in Waterfalls and claimed that he wanted to assist her to get her husband out of jail after he had been convicted for rape.
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The court heard that Gwasarira invited her for a meeting with his colleagues who were “connected to higher offices” near Waterfalls Shopping Centre.
They entered a lodge opposite the shopping centre, but when they got into a room, no one was there.
When the complainant inquired on the whereabouts of the “connected” colleagues, Gwasarira was alleged to have demanded sex before helping her.
The complainant, the State argued, tried to escape, but he overpowered her. After the alleged rape incident, Gwasarira purported to make a phone call to a former police boss and later a Central Intelligence Organisation boss who would facilitate the release of the complaint’s husband.
Two weeks later, the State continued, Gwasarira told the complainant to meet him at Parktown shops so she could meet his wives, but when they got to his house, no one was there.
He advised her that he was still helping her and wanted to have sex with her again.
The court heard that she tried to leave the house, but he had locked the doors before he raped her.
The complainant’s husband was released on bail pending appeal on March 10, 2016, and she later revealed the rape to him in July 2019.
– HERALD
