GWERU - A Senior Gweru Magistrate has dismissed an application for discharge by Kwekwe Mayor, Shadreck Tobaiwa. Tobaiwa and his lawyer, Tapera Sengweni, are facing charges of obstructing the course of justice in a rape case involving Kwekwe Urban legislator, Blessing Chebundo.(Pictured : Blessing Chebundo)Chebundo stands accused of raping a 13-year-old minor who is now pregnant. He denies the charge. Tobaiwa and Sengweni were arrested on May 21 this year. Through their lawyer, Prayers Chitsa, they applied for a discharge at the close of the State case, arguing that the State had failed to prove a prima facie case against his clients.
However, Gweru Magistrate, Nevia Matura, threw the application out.
The State will seek to prove that Tobaiwa and Sengweni, who are both MDC-T party members, went to the complainant’s residence in Mbizo 16 knowing that Chebundo had been arrested and that police investigations were underway.
At the house, the pair allegedly approached the victim’s father and tried to induce him to withdraw the charges.
Post published in: Politics