Online Reporter
Zvikomborero Parafini
ONE of the two men accused of allegedly raping social media star Mai Jeremaya suffered a setback yesterday when his application for discharge at the close of the State case was dismissed by the presiding magistrate.
Thabo Blessing Dube made an application urging the court to acquit him because the State had failed to prove their case beyond reasonable doubt.
However, magistrate Letwin Rwodzi ruled that they had to proceed to their defence case.
Soon after, Dube took to the stand as the first defence witness and told the court that the role he played was to hook up Mai Jeremaya and his friend Martin Charlie, for the sex date.
He told the court that he never entered the lodge or participated in the sex as claimed by the State.
Second on the stand was a witness from the lodge, who is employed as the manager.
“I work at Paradise Lodges and I manage lodges number 11 and 15 on Frank Johnson Road.
“I check the cameras checking if the bookings and the money made are balanced. I viewed the cameras a day after this case had allegedly occurred and I saw accused person number two (Charlie) coming to the reception as captured by the camera. He entered in a silver GD6 with a number plate at the front and it didn’t have one at the back.”
He told the court that it was impossible for one to enter the rooms before paying.
“It’s not possible to enter before paying, one pays at the reception and room allocations are done there.
“My records say Charlie was given room number six.”Lawyer Shepherd Makonde interjected and asked a question:
“Was there another entrance that could be used to enter the room?”
The Paradise Lodges manager replied:
“No, all our rooms have one entrance with an en-suite inside which has a toilet and a bathroom and they have no extra door outside.”
Makonde tendered video footage of the lodge on the day in question.
The State alleges that on April 9, Dube contacted Mai Jeremaya, inviting her for a meeting, but they failed to meet on the day in question. On April 30, she received a Whatsapp message from Charlie, who invited her for a meeting, and they met along Samora Machel Avenue and he drove to number 11 Frank Johnson, Eastlea.
Charlie allegedly went into the building pretending to go and see his boss and he came back in a few minutes.
He came with a certain lady called Sbahle and they got into the car and drove to town where Sbahle dropped off.
They drove back to Eastlea where he parked at number 15 Frank Johnson Avenue.
It is the State’s case that they took turns to rape her.
The trial resumes on Monday.
