Online Reporter
Zvikomborero Parafini
THE rape trial of Mai Jeremaya resumed at the Harare Magistrates Court yesterday, with the social media influencer being cross examined on her evidence in chief deposed last Friday.
Mai Jeremaya, whose real name is Ashley Masendeke, is accusing two men — Thabo Blessing Dube and Martin Charlie — of taking turns to rape her on April 30 this year.
Through this duo’s lawyers Mr Shepherd Makonde and Mr George Manokore, Mai Jeremaya was put to task to explain the discrepancies between her evidence in chief given in court and her three statements given to the police.
The defence said the Sam character which she claimed contacted her first prior to the rape, was her own fictitious creation.
“I take it it’s you who just saved his number as Sam, because according to the evidence before this court, you never met with this Sam,” said Makonde.
In response, Maj Jeremaya said she had made the conclusion that it was Dube who was using the pseudonym ‘Sam’ to lure her.
Asked to produce any forensic evidence from mobile service providers to show that indeed it was the same number, Mai Jeremaya said she had none.
Due to time constraints, the matter was rolled over to Friday when the defence is expected to cross examine her on the merits of the case.
In their defence, the duo told the court that Mai Jeremaya was the one who initiated the meeting via a text message to Charlie and denied the State’s claim that they contacted her first.
They told the court that upon getting into the Central Business District, Mai Jeremaya was picked up by Charlie and they proceeded to Eastlea where they picked up Dube and his girlfriend.
The group returned to town to drop off Dube’s girlfriend and while they were in town, Charlie went to buy lunch, leaving Dube and Mai Jeremaya in the car.
The duo claimed that while he was away, she got a chance to speak privately with Dube and that was when she revealed that she had recently separated with her husband and was desperate for money.
They told the court that she complimented Charlie’s car, a double cab and his iPhone, describing him as well off before she proposed an hour of consensual sex for a fee of US$20.
Dube told the court that he conveyed the message to Charlie and the parties agreed to engage in consensual sexual activity at a lodge for US$20.
Charlie said he drove to the lodge and Mai Jeremaya demanded for advance payment, which was given, and she voluntarily undressed, engaged in foreplay including kissing and caressing Charlie, assisted him in wearing a condom and assumed an active role during the consensual intercourse.
The duo told the court that after the sexual encounter, Mai Jeremaya unexpectedly demanded US$500, saying she had given Charlie what she termed as “extras” in that, she had kissed and engaged in foreplay with him.
Charlie told her that he couldn’t afford such an amount and she reduced it to US$300, which he again told her that he couldn’t afford.
They told the court that Mai Jeremaya never expressed distress or lack of consent.
Peter Tanyanyiwa