Ashley Masendeke
The Harare Magistrates’ Court on Friday acquitted Thabo Blessing Dube (27) and Martin Charlie (25), the two men accused of raping social media influencer Ashley “Mai Jeremaya” Masendeke.
The ruling brings to a close a case that gripped the nation and sparked intense public debate both online and offline.
The acquittal was handed down by Regional Magistrate Letwin Rwodzi, who ruled that the State had failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt. In a scathing assessment of the prosecution’s handling of the matter, Rwodzi said the evidence presented in court was riddled with inconsistencies and contradictions, which significantly weakened the complainant’s version of events.
The case arose from an incident that took place in early June at a lodge in Harare. Mai Jeremaya accused the two men of sexually assaulting her. However, both Dube and Charlie denied the allegations, maintaining that the encounter had been consensual and transactional. They told the court that they had agreed to pay US$20 to the complainant, who they claimed voluntarily undressed, requested a condom, and accepted the money after the act.
Testimonies during the trial painted a complex picture. One of the complainant’s key witnesses — a close friend — told the court that Mai Jeremaya had initially described the encounter as consensual with one man. This contradicted later statements that accused both men of rape. The witness also admitted under cross-examination that her story had changed, further muddying the State’s narrative.
The defence argued that the inconsistencies in the complainant’s statements and the contradictions in witness testimony were fatal to the case. Magistrate Rwodzi agreed, ruling that the burden of proof had not been met.
“The defence gave a coherent and believable account,” she said. “The State failed to provide sufficient evidence to sustain a conviction.”
The verdict has drawn mixed reactions from the public. While some viewed it as a vindication of the accused and a testament to the impartiality of the judiciary, others expressed concern that it might discourage other survivors of sexual violence from coming forward.
Online, the case sparked widespread commentary, with some users on platforms like X (formerly Twitter) questioning how rape cases involving public personalities are treated in the courts. Others defended the ruling, arguing that legal decisions should be based on evidence, not popular opinion.
Neither the accused nor the complainant have issued public statements since the ruling. It is unclear at this stage whether the prosecution intends to appeal the decision.
The case has reignited broader conversations around sexual consent, victim protection, and the credibility of justice in the digital age. As Zimbabwe continues to wrestle with the challenge of addressing sexual violence in a fair and balanced manner, the acquittal of Dube and Charlie will remain a flashpoint in the national discourse.
