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Alleged rape -Obediah Musindo case - For the girl victim it took two years to be heard in court
Betty Makoni, Girl Child Network (GCN)
May 17, 2006

I write to share a story on alleged rape by Obedial Msindo self stlyed politician and Reverend of Destiny of Africa Network

Just a little bit of background to it. On 5 October 2005 on International Rural Women `s Day during a Girls Arts Festival at Chitungwiza Aquatic Centre I was appraoched by some pastors of churches who do not want to be identified and they reported to me that since September 2004 they had tried to assist a girl allegedly raped by Obediah Musindobut with her case but that had hit a snag.They further pleaded with me to take the girl and I promised to do that but I told them I would do counseling through establishment as this case involved a high profile person and obviously the fact that it had hit a snag was clear testimony that the politicians in the system and elsewhere wanted this case to die a natural death.In fact allegations had been levelled against the same through at one stage a herald reporter who said she had dealt with a case of rape against the alleged rapist.

I took the young girl home and obviously I really wanted to engage her and find out why it was difficult for her to get police sympathy.Each time I talked to her she sobbed so much that I almost became a victim of the alleged perpetraor too...just from listening to the story .After 5 days of continuos sobbing she told me one Dhiva Pick who says he is brother to Musindo had recruited her from the employment agency and she was interviewed for a job as a housemaid whereupon she agreed to a salary of Z$ 200 000 equivelent to US$ 2 monthly using the current rate. She was just a rural girl who in any case would accept just anything, polygamuos father had died and just for the sake of her mother she had come to Harare to look for a job in order to fend for her two brothers.I looked at her hands,fingures in particular,very rough ,typical of rural girls.I felt pity for her.Actually I have a tendency to sob internally since I see myself in 1986 onwards when my suffering was the same.

Her story was long and I had a feeling that this Destiny for Africa Network church was a syndicate that had committed the worst crimes against women.She told me several other young girls were allegedly raped but their parents had agreed to out of court settlements and in one case I visited in Mbare a young girl has a baby boy with Musindo and he is Obediah Musindo Junior... for all the abuse she suffered her parents got $16 million equivalent U$ 80. The moral decay in some of our Reverends is a big shame.So many times they come to be reported to my office as rapists and at one time ZAOGA and Johanne Marange churches topped my list of high profile rapists. Oh yes, she continued to share her story and each time she related it ,it was exactly the same.It had scenes that made her cry.....and at one stage she feared so many things despite my assurances.It appeared as if she had been abused by a satanic cult which at one stage stripped her naked and took photos.Bustards ,I repeated...mind you I also do my insults and protests inside and then I burst with anger.

I then wrote to governement authorities with complaints on how the issue had been handled. I wrote several letters and only the President`s office responded and they asked me to come up with an affidavit.I did and not being a lawyer I helped the girl produce 22 pages and it was submitted . Only one lady from this Offfice was victim friendly.Mind you it is alleged at Harare Central Police victimly friendly courts was dismantled and the official handling this case was sort of transfered and allegations were that she had touched the untouchable. This case brought untold suffering to many officers ..so it seems so from the way they kept referring it back and forth.At one stage the girl victim told me one police officer wept .The case had been transfered from CID to victim friendly to this and that office and really being a simple case of alleged rape it should have been handled by the Victim friendly courts.

Finally the case was taken by Alice Matandamoyo of the Attorney General. It really moved and shook quite a lot of human blocks that had successfully stopped the docket from going to court.In February this year I referred the girl to two of our women`s coalition organisations.They said it was with lack of evidence from a legal perspective.The young woman came back to me and sobbed.I told her that this should not put her off because with rape its your word against mine.Loice Matandamoyo by the way worked hard on this case and made everyone in the AG office run around and I must say children need this woman desperately.She works with the heart and senior in the AG office as she is I thought she was going to be a snob and look at the girl victim with negative attitude.She did not.She repeatedly said there is justice in this country and the docket has to go to the courts and true to the point it went to the courts and media had it that AG office orders arrest of Musindo.For a month nothing happened and finally it did happen and Herald was the first to publicise this.Musindo became the first alleged rapist to come on front page with a picture

This case was first heard at the courts on 3 May 2006.Mind you it was reported in September 2004 and all along investigations were going on.

The first day 3 May when the girl was grilled by the defence lawyer it was horrible.Questions were like where you a virgin...why did you not report immediately...when you got to his office you had pata pata on and were there no other beautiful women at the office who could have attracted his client....and then why did you not run away on the second day since you knew he was a rapist....the doctor said you were sexually active in his report .....and all this was said in open court and the young womqan is single .I wish this was done through camera especially when it was asked .....tell us exactly how it was done and dont say `thing` say .....the name .... penis....mboro and I shrank because culturally one cannot say such even with the most intimate partner for years...now she had to say mboro for an alleged rapist.She refused to say in shona and asked to say his penis in my vagina in broken English...well the victim friendly camera system should be extended to women too ....so that women are not unnecessarily torched and forced to strip naked in public.The reason why young women are not reporting rape stems from the fact that they fear to be dressed down in public .

And then the defence lawyer applied for discharge as the girl had been inconstent .....and then the magistrate ruled there was a case to answer.Thats when I was in South Africa when it was ruled Jacob Zuma was innnocent and why on earth had we been made to understand that he had a case to answer

And then today 17 May a group of women went to court.Obediah Musindo brought the whole church to be witnesses.Case has been postponed to 22 May so that Obediah Musindo goes through cross examination .Nothing happened today.

Well after all, why I wrote this is to give an update and just a way to make women see that it is a long way to justice.We need to work a little bit harder on virtually everything.The young woman`s case was reported in September 2004 and the docket finally came to court in May 2006.How many more cases are like ?Indeed the domestic violence bill will come too late to save lives that are being lost daily.Domestic workers come to be part of our families ,they cook ,wash and look after our children...most of them are girl children..they wash and clean our dirt and we take advantage of their illiteracy and poverty and abuse them.

Young women from 17 upwards are not adequately covered by the law.All sex is by consent from the view of our patriachial system.No one person believes them.

I have a few people to thank though.Loice Matandamoyo of the AG.....the young woman victim for telling her story for this has saved other young women from future rape....she may lose or win the case but whatever way the rapist is named and shamed and other young women will be saved in future....the police investigators who kept her torn pant and skirt under lock and key and this was used as exhibit BIG THANKS TOO.Paoula the big sister in US for all the fuel expenses to take the young girl victim to court and to make sure she has food and a a cover over her head.

And all of you who read this ...big thanks.RAPE IS MUREDER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And my last point is anyone who wants to help this young woman contact me.Her mother is a sorry sight...she is frail and came all the way from Gutu to listen to all this...she is shocked and many a times cries a lot...how come we poor as we are we are made to suffer this much.Such a high profile person!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ........and the threats that they would have their heads chopped and the fact that even Betty Makoni has to be persecuted this much...followed everywhere and defamed by media which he buys and perpetrators of this high profile can do anything to defenders of girls and women`s rights...

All in the name of activism!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sisters bye
Muzvare Betty Makoni

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