A 43-year-old man from Lupane who was being charged for allegedly fondling his tenant’s wife has been acquitted of the charge for lack of evidence.
The man who cannot be named to protect the victim’s identity was acquitted when he appeared before Lupane magistrate Takudzwa Gwazemba on Monday.
He had pleaded not guilty to charges of indecent assault and claimed that he and the complainant had a long-standing love affair.
He told the court the woman, aged 28, fabricated the charge and reported him to police after they had been caught in a compromising position by the man’s wife.He said the woman reported the case just to protect her marriage.
In passing judgment, Gwazemba said the woman’s assault claims were hazy considering that it had taken her 10 days to report the matter.
Gwazemba said there was no tangible evidence that the accused indecently assaulted the complainant.
The State had alleged that on November 19 last year, the man approached his tenant’s wife while she was washing dishes at her house.
He allegedly grabbed her with both hands from behind around her waist thereby pressing his manhood on her back in the process.
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It is alleged that in the process, the man’s wife stormed into the house and found them in a compromising position.
The wife allegedly made a hasty retreat, leaving the pair in a state of shock.
The lodger’s wife later informed her husband of the abuse and suggested that they seek alternative accommodation.
The woman allegedly pleaded with her husband to have the matter solved amicably between the two families.
But, the accused fled to Bulawayo when confronted over the matter.
The complainant later made a police report, leading to the arrest of her landlord after his return.
Sanders Sibanda prosecuted.
