Chief's coucil president Fortune Charumbira faces ...

Chief's coucil president Fortune Charumbira faces indecent assault charges

Zim Now Writer

Zimbabwe Council of Chiefs president and Pan African Parliament chairman, Chief Fortune Charumbira, is being accused of indecent assault as defined in Section 67 (1) (a) (i) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23. Complainant in thematter is a 27-year-old female teacher at Zimuto High school, Paidamoyo Majaya, who is also his niece.

In a memorandum directed to the Officer Commanding Masvingo Central District, Charumbira is said to have assaulted Majaya on two separate occasions.

“On March 31, at around 1300 hours, the complainant arrived in Harare from Mutare. She was on her way to Amai Mugabe Secondary School in Mazowe for some Secondary Schools debate competitions.

“Just before her arrival in Harare city, the complainant was called by the accused person who indicated that he wanted to meet her.

“When the complainant arrived, the accused person picked her and they dove to Rainbow Towers Hotel in Harare Central Business District. They had a meeting and lunch in the dining hall. When they were about to leave, the accused person started caressing the complainant on her breasts.

“He also put his hand in her dress and kissed her without her consent.

“The accused person started comforting the complainant as she told him that she did not want what he was doing. Accused then gave the complainant his car keys and ordered her to leave the hotel.

“He told her that someone would follow. As she was walking out, she was stopped by a male adult who was unknown to her. The male adult had a badge inscribed "Parliament of Zimbabwe". He asked the complainant to give him the car keys and told her that he had been assigned to drive her to Amai Grace Mugabe Secondary School in Mazowe.

“The complainant was driven to Amai Grace Mugabe Secondary school in Mazowe by the unknown male adult. She was dropped at the school and the unknown male adult returned to Harare,” reads the memorandum.

“On April 2, the complainant reportedly received a call from Chief Charumbira who asked to meet at NSSA building before taking her to Monomotapa Hotel in Harare in his vehicle.

“The accused ordered Majaya to follow him into the hotel where they went into a lounge on the 18th floor together.

“They had talks over what the accused did when they were at Rainbow Towers Hotel. They spent about an hour in the lounge,” reads the memorandum.

When Majaya was about to leave, she was dragged back into the lounge.

Charumbira caressed Majaya’s breasts and kissed her without her consent.

He returned Majaya’s cellphone and she began recording their conversation secretly.

Police said Chief Charumbira inserted his left hand inside the complainant’s thighs and touched the complainant’s vagina over the pant and the complainant pushed his hand away.

Majaya advised her husband about the incident and the case was reported at Masvingo Central under RRB Number 5457646.