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‘I refused to falsify return date for pistol in Kereke case’

News
THE rape trial of former Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) adviser Munyaradzi Kereke took another twist yesterday with the central bank’s head of security, Gresham Muradzikwa, claiming that he was allegedly pressured to falsify the date the pistol allegedly used to commit the offence was returned to the institution’s armoury.

THE rape trial of former Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) adviser Munyaradzi Kereke took another twist yesterday with the central bank’s head of security, Gresham Muradzikwa, claiming that he was allegedly pressured to falsify the date the pistol allegedly used to commit the offence was returned to the institution’s armoury.

by PAIDAMOYO MUZULU

Kereke is alleged to have intimidated his two minor nieces with his RBZ service pistol before sexually abusing them in 2010.

The Bikita West MP (Zanu PF) had been given a service pistol for personal protection during his tenure as adviser to then RBZ governor Gideon Gono.

KEREKE Munyaradzi Kereke

Muradzikwa yesterday told the court that Kereke later bypassed him as the issuing officer and returned the firearm direct to his superior, Mirirai Chiremba.

“I confirm issuing the gun to the accused in 2005, but when he returned it, he did not hand it over to me, but to my senior, Mirirai Chiremba, which was unprocedural,” Muradzikwa said.

“I was pressurised to backdate the date on which the gun was returned, but I refused.”

Kereke, in his defence outline, says he returned the firearm sometime in 2010, but before the alleged rape had taken place.

Under cross-examination by Kereke’s lawyer Eram Mutandiro, Muradzikwa insisted that the firearm was not given to him as the custodian and he was being put under pressure to backdate the day the pistol was returned.

Private prosecutor Charles Warara told the court that the trial would continue on February 29, with Chiremba taking to the witness stand.

Muradzikwa became the sixth witness to testify for the prosecution.

The two minors, who are the complainants, testified first, followed by their aunt to whom the cases were first reported and then their guardian Francis Maramwidze.

Medical doctor Edwin Chanakira, who examined the girls, told the court, that the minors had been sexually abused. Regional magistrate Noel Mupeiwa is presiding over the case.