Rape case Kereke wants to suppress

By The Standard | Nov. 27, 2011

BY CAIPHAS CHIMHETE MUNYARADZI Kereke, a senior policy advisor to Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) governor Gideon Gono, has been accused of raping his 12-year-old niece. She was 11 years old when the alleged rape took place last year at the businessman’s home.

Kereke is also accused of sexually assaulting the girl’s 15-year-old sister. In the past two weeks, Kereke has splashed several advertisements in newspapers accusing two Standard journalists of asking for bribes from him.

He claimed to be a victim of blackmail but was trying to suppress the publication of the rape case. In the adverts Kereke denies the accusations.

The case was first reported at Highlands Police Station CR0202/11/10 and transferred to Borrowdale Police Station CR37/11/10. This was because Vainona suburb, where the alleged rape took place, falls under Borrowdale Police and not Highlands.

Highlands Police Station recorded statements from both girls on November 1 2010. The statements indicate the incident happened on August 22 around 0300 hours.

After the incident the little girl informed her elder sister and aunt. A medical report by Dr E T Chanakira at Parirenyatwa on November 1 2010 indicates that the minor’s hymen was broken and penetration was effected.

It also further says the girl had not started menstruation and had had no previous intercourse. According to the doctor’s report two fingers could enter into her vagina after the alleged rape.

The children’s guardian said he had on several occasions sought audience with senior police officers over the issue who categorically told him that the matter was beyond them.

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“I have lost faith in our police force here in Zimbabwe,” said the guardian. “I respect the law in its entirety. I will continue to pursue this issue until justice is attained.”

The girls’ legal representative, Charles Warara of Warara and Associates Legal Practitioners has written several letters to the Officer-in-Charge of Borrowdale Police Station, Chief Inspector Mbiringa.

Some of the letters were copied to the Attorney General’s Office and Police General Headquarters (PGHQ) addressed to the Commissioner-General.

In one of the letters dated December 11 2010, Warara expressed fear that all the people involved in the matter might be victimised.

He said the AG had been advised of the matter as a step to try and protect everyone involved in the matter “as it seems there is real danger to the family of the victim and everyone who will fight on the side of the victim”.

“You already know that the accused is armed and he can do anything in the circumstances, but you have done nothing about such danger to society,” said Warara.

In another letter dated January 13 2011, to officer in charge of Borrowdale Police Station, Warara expressed concern that no headway was being made into the rape issue.

“We note with concern that you do not seem to want to take any action in this matter and we are by copy of this letter requesting the Attorney General to advise us if nothing will be done so that we can apply for a right to do private prosecution if the Attorney General declines to prosecute the rape case,” he said in another letter also copied to the AG’s office.

In a letter dated February 21 2011, officer-in-charge ZRP Borrowdale said the matter was investigated and the docket is currently at the AG’s office.

“This was prompted by the correspondence you copied to the Attorney General and to the Commissioner General hence they had to have a sight of the docket,” said the police.

Efforts to get a comment from AG Johannes Tomana were fruitless yesterday. But Warara last week said there has not been any progress since his last letters.