I am innocent, happily married, Kereke

Three wives … Munyaradzi Kereke

The Zanu PF legislator, who has been defending himself for five days, was forced to disclose his private life after he objected to private prosecutor, Charles Warara’s line of questioning.

Kereke felt offended and asked for court’s intervention arguing that Warara’s questions were defamatory and meant to denigrate his religious affiliation to Johanne Marange apostolic sect.

Warara had asked him, “When you said you are happily married you meant to three wives?’’

The legislator is on charges of raping his 10 year old niece in 2010 and also indecently assaulting another niece who was 15 during the same year.

Magistrate, Noel Mupeiwa, reminded Kereke that Warara never objected when he was embarrassing and implicating everyone in charges he is facing.

“I don’t see what rights are being trampled upon here. During his defence, the accused person went to town attacking other people’s character and his character is also subject to scrutiny. He is well aware of that and the court even warned him,” ruled Mupeiwa.

Given the opportunity to roast Kereke on his marriage, Warara then questioned Kereke if he had divorced with any of his wives. Kereke then told court he once had five wives.

He said he broke with two of them leaving him with three.

“I am happily married to three women at the moment. I have three wives at the moment and will confirm that I have had two previous divorces,” said Kereke.

Warara further questioned: “You recently married another wife when you joined that church and hold a financial position? Is it not true that that wife was donated to you?

Kereke refuted the claims and kept insisting that Warara’s sentiments sought to denigrate his church.

When his defence case opened, Kereke told court there was no way he could have raped a juvenile because he was happily married.

Kereke also told court the two victims were naughty and had even demanded thousands of dollars from him.

He went on to implicate journalists, ministers and other political figures, saying they brought into the situation he finds himself in.

Kereke then concluded his defence asking for an apology from his in-laws for wrongful conduct.

The MP also raised a red flag against the private prosecutor saying there was a possibility he might have abused the girls in the guise of all night prayers at his home.

“All I request from the girls ’guardians is just an apology. I hold a High Court order in my favour for the grandfather to pay restitution for wrongful conduct,” said Kereke.

“I did not commit these crimes. As a parent to many children, including girls, I took a keen interest making sure whenever the complainants visited my family they got the parental protection they needed along with my children.

“There were concerns raised by my family, my in-laws against the private prosecutor Warara who did not exercise strict protection to the complainants,” said Kereke.

“The minors would go to his house allegedly for all night prayers. I recall one morning one of the minors came to my house in the wee hours of the morning on bare foot from Warara’s home.

“Misrepresentations were made in this court that I reported Warara to the Law Society for the abuse of the complaints.

“The report was made by my inlaws.”

Kereke’s brother and security guards are next in line to testify.