Zim Now Writer
Two men accused of raping social media personality Mai Jeremaya have denied the charges, claiming the encounter was consensual and that a disagreement arose over payment.
Thabo Blessing Dube ,27, and Martin Charlie ,25, were arrested over the weekend and appeared in court on Monday. They claim the incident was a “deal gone sour” rather than rape.
According to court documents, Charlie met Mai Jeremaya at Joina City in Harare, where they allegedly agreed to have sex for US$20. The group went to a lodge in Eastlea, where the men say she was aware that the meeting was for paid sex. They claim she witnessed the payment for the lodge and willingly engaged in intercourse with Charlie. Dube says he did not participate in any sexual activity.
The two men allege that after the encounter, Mai Jeremaya demanded US$500 instead of the agreed US$20. She eventually accepted the US$20, took a shower, and was escorted to a taxi, they said.
They claim that two days later, she sent a private investigator, Tafadzwa “Detective Kedha” Chidawa, to demand money and only filed the rape report after they refused to pay.
During the bail hearing, Magistrate Marewanazvo Gofa questioned why the accused were not also charged with aggravated indecent assault, as there were allegations that they forced the complainant to perform oral sex. The State acknowledged this could be considered an additional offence but argued that it occurred within the same incident and that adding a charge could unnecessarily complicate the case.
The State said the accused have no prior convictions, fixed addresses, and are not considered flight risks. It did not oppose bail but recommended they surrender their passports.
Magistrate Gofa is expected to rule on the bail application today.
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