News Africa Extended

News Africa Extended

Zanu PF legislator jailed for rape

Posted: 11 Jul 2016 01:27 PM PDT

A Zanu PF legislator Munyaradzi Kereke was found guilty of raping his wife’s then 13-year-old niece at gunpoint in 2010.

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Harare - A Zanu PF legislator, Munyaradzi Kereke, was on Monday found guilty and jailed 14 years for rape.

Kekere, who is a Bikita West MP and a former adviser to ex-Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor Gideon Gono, will however serve an effective 10 years.

He was accused of raping his wife’s then 13-year-old niece in 2010 at gunpoint.

Harare magistrate Norman Mupeiwa convicted Kereke of rape, but cleared the businessman of an indecent assault charge, which the MP was said to have committed against his victim’s sister.

In aggravation of sentence, the State, led by private prosecutor Charles Warara, accused Kereke of taking advantage of circumstances and the girl’s age, whom he abused at gun point.

“He went on to use a gun and traumatised the minor girl who didn’t even understand what was going on. He is married with three wives, but went on to rape the minor without using protection, exposing her to sexually transmitted diseases or even HIV,” the prosecution said.

“He stooped so low, yet he is a person of authority. Another thing is that he fought relentlessly trying to avert prosecution and that on its own aggravates his matter. The delay can be put on the Prosecutor-General (PG) Johannes Tomana, but they took this stance together. If it was not for the guardians’ relentlessness, this case would have died a natural death.”

Warara asked the court to make an example out of Kereke.

“Court must make this an example because there may be people in this high life abusing minors and still getting away with it. He made every effort to avoid this case even when he qualified for jail. Rape is as bad as destroying someone’s life, so it should not be treated less seriously. He sat down with witnesses to make sure they testified in his favour and deceive the court. As we speak, the PG (Tomana) is being charged for his conduct in this case, which demonstrates whatever was happening has been exposed,” the private prosecutor said.

Warara said “it was clear corruption was behind this”.

He said there was no explanation why Kereke was favoured by people in authority.

Magistrate Mupeiwa, in his ruling, said Kereke had “cooked” evidence and coached witnesses, despite his (Kereke) defence being shallow.

The court also read that it was shocking to note that Kereke’s wife, the juvenile’s aunt, lied to protect her husband, yet her brother’s daughter had been sexually-molested.

In March 2010, Kereke was alone with the then 13-year-old girl, whom he grabbed by the waist and pushed onto the couch before fondling her breasts.

The girl screamed, but no one heard her. On August 22, 2010, the girl’s young sister was allegedly asked to baby-sit by Kereke’s wife.

When the baby fell asleep, the girl sat on the couch in the bedroom and Kereke started fondling her.

He pointed the gun at the girl and threatened to shoot her if she did not comply with his orders and raped her.

Tomana - currently suspended from his PG post over this matter and others dating back to 2008 - had declined to allow Kereke to be prosecuted,

prompting the victim’s guardian, Francis Maramwidze, to pursue a private prosecution.

He also tried to block a private prosecution before the matter headed to a constitutional showdown, before being forced to grant a private prosecution.

African News Agency

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Retrenched BancABC staff want debt written off

Posted: 11 Jul 2016 12:37 PM PDT

The Zimbabwe Banks and Allied Workers Union has petitioned BancABC demanding that the bank write off loans given retrenched workers.

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Harare - The Zimbabwe Banks and Allied Workers Union (ZIBAWU) on Monday petitioned BancABC bank head offices in Harare, demanding among other things, that the bank write off housing and vehicles loans they gave to 44 retrenched workers.

Atlas Mara Limited holds 95.8 percent in BancABC’s operations in Botswana, Zimbabwe and Zambia and trades on the British Stock Exchange.

ZIBAWU President, Farai Katsande, said the bank, which had only paid the retrenched workers two weeks’ salary for every year served, was now demanding that the workers pay back loans they got when they were still engaged.

“Now your management is demanding that all those who still have outstanding loans pay up or their property will be attached. Some even risk being imprisoned. These workers are now set to lose properties necessary for their sustenance,” he said.

He said the workers were paid retrenchment packages which were far less than their loan obligations to the bank, leaving them indebted to the bank.

Katsande said the workers wanted the bank to write off the loans, adding the bank had not paid the mandatory three months’ salary notice pay which was mandatory.

He said the action by the bank management was inconsiderate.

“Had it not been the promulgation of the Labour Amendment Number 5 of 2015, it appears you would have preferred to chase the workers away from employment without any cent paid as compensation.”

Katsande said the workers would demonstrate every Monday at the bank until management heeds their demands.

A former worker who served the bank for fifteen years, Nkanali Mavhuto, said the employer had been negotiating in bad faith from the onset.

“We first engaged in dialogue and they seemed to be in agreement with us and they asked us to bring our proposal, which we did. However, despite giving them our proposal, they went on to pay us two weeks’ salary for every year served.

“What we are asking is that they write off the loans they gave us because they are now coming to us demanding that we pay the loans and threatening legal action. Where do they expect us to get the money and at the same time, we did not ask them to retrench us,” Mavhuto said.

BancABC chief executive Joe Sibanda, who received the petition from Katsande, said he had only signed to acknowledge receipt but did not acknowledge the contents in the petition.

African News Agency

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SA wants Zim ban binned

Posted: 11 Jul 2016 06:14 AM PDT

Rob Davies wants Zimbabwe to reverse a decision to ban imports of goods from the continent’s most-industrialised economy.

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Johannesburg - South African Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies wants Zimbabwe to reverse a decision to ban imports of goods from the continent’s most-industrialised economy.

“The minister is engaging through SADC structures and in his capacity with his counterparts,” Sidwell Medupe, a spokesman for the department, said by phone on Monday, referring to the Southern African Development Community.

“Engagements are still at an early stage. We hope that an amicable solution will be found.”

In June, Zimbabwe announced a ban on imports of many goods, saying the steps are needed to develop local industries. Products banned include cosmetics, cereals, cheese, canned goods and furniture.

Read also: SA advises Zim to adopt the rand

South Africa is one of the biggest investors in Zimbabwe and companies including Impala Platinum Holdings and Nedbank Group own units there.

South Africa’s exports to Zimbabwe amounted to R24.8 billion ($1.7 billion) in 2014, while imports stood at R2 billion, President Jacob Zuma’s office said in a statement last year.

BLOOMBERG

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