Mai Jeremaya lost her rape case on Friday after a magistrate ruled she willingly took part in paid sex. Harare magistrate Letwin Rwodzi found major problems with her story during the trial. The social media star accused two men of attacking her but the court disagreed. Thabo Blessing Dube and Martin Charlie walked free from the charges. People have mixed feelings about the court decision across social media.
Private investigator Tafadzwa Chidawa tracked down the two men before the trial started. He demanded they pay him 500 dollars to avoid trouble but later dropped the price to 300 dollars. The men say Chidawa held them prisoner for over two hours and beat them up. He also filmed them and put the videos online for everyone to see. Neither Mai Jeremaya nor prosecutors asked Chidawa to speak during the court case.
Legal experts think the two men can fight back against Chidawa through the courts. They could press criminal charges for cyberbullying and false imprisonment against the private detective. The men might also sue him for damaging their reputations and causing them pain. Zimbabwe law protects people from online harassment and fake information that hurts them. Defense lawyer Shepherd Makonde helped win the case for his clients.
The men have several ways to seek justice after their ordeal. They can file assault charges if Chidawa hurt them during questioning. Courts might award them money for the public shame they suffered from the online videos. Some lawyers think Mai Jeremaya could face malicious prosecution charges for pressing false rape claims.
Private investigator Tafadzwa Chidawa tracked down the two men before the trial started. He demanded they pay him 500 dollars to avoid trouble but later dropped the price to 300 dollars. The men say Chidawa held them prisoner for over two hours and beat them up. He also filmed them and put the videos online for everyone to see. Neither Mai Jeremaya nor prosecutors asked Chidawa to speak during the court case.
Legal experts think the two men can fight back against Chidawa through the courts. They could press criminal charges for cyberbullying and false imprisonment against the private detective. The men might also sue him for damaging their reputations and causing them pain. Zimbabwe law protects people from online harassment and fake information that hurts them. Defense lawyer Shepherd Makonde helped win the case for his clients.
The men have several ways to seek justice after their ordeal. They can file assault charges if Chidawa hurt them during questioning. Courts might award them money for the public shame they suffered from the online videos. Some lawyers think Mai Jeremaya could face malicious prosecution charges for pressing false rape claims.
