Source: Kereke gets support from wife | The Herald May 20, 2016
Fungai Lupande Court Reporter
Zanu-PF Bikita West MP Munyaradzi Kereke’s wife, whose nieces were allegedly sexually assaulted by the legislator, yesterday stood by her husband and described her nieces as “total liars who are wayward”.
Testifying as Kereke’s witness in his defence case, Patience Muswapadare Taruvinga vowed that her husband was innocent and that he was being “fixed” by her nieces for denying them financial assistance.
“My husband has three wives and I am one of them. I am happily married despite the polygamous nature of our marriage,” said Taruvinga.
“The complainants in this matter are my nieces, daughters to my brother Richard Farai Muswapadare who is in the United States of America.”
Taruvinga said the rape and indecent assault allegations by her nieces were false.
“Allegations that my husband fondled one of my nieces in March is a total lie because during that month he had travelled out of the country,” she said.
“Also, my nieces did not visit me from January to July. I was heavily pregnant during that time and no one visited. I also didn’t have a housemaid. For my nieces to allege that my husband would place his hand in their pants in my presence is absurd.”
Taruvinga added that she loved her nieces as her own children and if they were abused she would be the first to report to the police.
“I instructed my lawyer to write to the Prosecutor-General to look into the abuse the complainants were exposed to at the private prosecutor, Mr Charles Warara’s house, where they went for all night prayers,” she said.
“My nieces would sneak out while at the prayers and go to a prominent house in Kew Drive, Highlands in Harare for all night parties. I also noticed busy texting and calling by non-family male people when I went through my nieces’ phones.”
On allegations that Kereke raped one of the girl’s in August, Taruvinga said it was a total lie that she woke up her 11-year-old niece at 3am to babysit while she cooked for her husband.
“It is a total lie that she washed her bloodstained pants, clothes and bed sheets because I did not allow her to do laundry neither were there clothes hanging on the line,” she said. “She threatened that she was going to tell everyone that my husband fondled her breast. When I asked her what she meant she said she was joking.”
During cross-examination by Mr Warara, Taruvinga was asked if she lived with Kereke.
“I don’t live with him permanently, he comes and goes because he has other families,” she replied.
“So you don’t know him?” asked Mr Warara.
Taruvinga replied that she knew enough that concerns herself and her children.
“What number are you in the line of wives and how many children does he have?” asked Mr Warara.
“I don’t know what number I am. I only know we are three. I married him when I was 19, just after finishing school. Other than my three children I don’t know how many other children he has. It does not concern me,” said Taruvinga.
Kereke is accused of raping his 10-year old niece at gun point in 2010 after indecently assaulting her sister who was 15 years at the time.
The trial continues today.
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