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Court Reporter
Bikita West legislator Dr Munyaradzi Kereke faces prosecution on rape charges after the Supreme Court yesterday struck off his appeal after ruling that his papers were defective.
Dr Kereke is alleged to have raped a then 11-year-old girl at gunpoint at his home in Vainona, Harare.
The Supreme Court noted that Dr Kereke rushed to appeal against a High Court judgment in which he was not a party. In the High Court proceedings in which Justice Happias Zhou ordered Prosecutor-General Johannes Tomana to issue a certificate for Dr Kereke’s private prosecution, the politician was not cited as a party and his decision to approach the Supreme Court contesting the same decision was wrong at law. Lawyers representing Dr Kereke admitted the error and unsuccessfully sought to withdraw the application. The three-member court of appeal ruled that a withdrawal was not possible because the case was improperly before them and striking it off was the most appropriate action. He denies the allegations saying this was a smear campaign emanating from his acrimonious feud with former Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor, Dr Gideon Gono.
Dr Kereke worked as Dr Gono’s advisor for years, but the two have since fallen out.
The ruling by Justice Happias Zhou followed an application by the complainant’s guardian, Mr Francis Maramwidze seeking the arrest and prosecution of Dr Kereke on charges of rape.
Online Reporter