Former minister Kudakwashe Bhasikiti acquitted of ...

Former minister Kudakwashe Bhasikiti acquitted of rape

Zim Now Writer

Masvingo regional magistrate Judith Zuyu yesterday acquitted former Minister of State for Masvingo Province, Kudakwashe Bhasikiti of rape charges which were being levelled against him.

Zuyu argued that the witnesses did not give enough evidence and the little evidence given was unreliable.

“One witness, who was the caretaker at the orphanage, alleged that the girl was raped in 2019 while the other witness alleged that the girl was raped in 2013,” said Zuyu.

The former legislator was arrested in December last year after police received a tip-off that he raped one of the girls at his orphanage in Mwenezi in 2019.

The girl was 12 at the time.

The girl testified in court that Bhasikiti raped her when she went to Moriah, where Bhasikiti stays, for the holidays.

She alleged that while she was sleeping with her siblings, Bhasikiti came and raped her and she did not disclose the matter to anyone.

A former orphanage caretaker, Sekamwe Tafirenyika said she discovered sperms flowing from the girl’s vagina three days after she came from Bhasikiti’s house.

She however, believed the girl could have been sexually abused by a villager since she used to come from school late.

Fanuel Dembetembe, a traditional healer who was staying at Bhasikiti’s orphanage, gave a confusing testimony when he alleged that the girl told him that she was raped when she was only six years.

In his defence, Bhasikiti told the court that Dembetembe was one of the traditional healers who only seek shelter at his orphanage and when it was time to leave, they refused to leave the place until Bhasikiti sought an eviction order.

It is when the eviction order was granted that Bhasikiti was then arrested for rape which he allegedly committed three years back.

The magistrate said the evidence produced in court was unreliable and Bhasikiti was acquitted.

Rutendo Ndibwo prosecuted.