Pastor T Freddy cleared of any wrong doing
A Harare court has found Goodness and Mercy Ministries leader Tapiwa Freddy (T Freddy) blameless in a matter in which he was accused of two counts of rape and an assault.
Freddy who was represented by lawyers Malvern Mapako, Everson Chatambudza, Jivas Mudimu of Rubaya and Chatambudza legal practitioners was found not guilty by Harare magistrate Gloria Takundwa at the close of the state case for lack of evidence.
Takundwa said the state failed to prove a prima facie case against the Harare-based pastor adding that the complainant, a ZBC news presenter, had also proved to be an unreliable source.
Six witnesses testified in the matter, with a section giving conflicting testimony as to what transpired, Takundwa said.
It also emerged that the complainant chopped and changed her accusations against T Freddy under cross examination from Rubaya and Chatambudza lawyers.
“The complainant’s aunty denied that the complainant called her over the rape allegations but said the accused and the complainant were in a love relationship,” Takudzwa said as she acquitted Freddy.
“The accused and the complainant differ where the relationship started. The complainant discussed that they would have sexual intercourse after a year. It is worrying that if they did not have a relationship how would they discus about sexual intercourse. In a statement to the police she did not mention that she was dragged to bed by the accused but the statement only made here in court.”
“She did not mentioned that they were lovers but said she only knew him as a leader of church, a musician and that he had a radio program at his work place. The complainant did not report the rape but only did so after the accused reported her for extortion. There are no medical reports submitted, no injuries of struggling off the rapist and the state’s evidence is unreliable,” Takundwa said.
The magistrate said on the second count of rape there is not enough evidence to convict the accused.
“She did not report the incident and she did not mentioned this incident to her uncle and also at initial report at Harare police station. A statement to the police lacks how she was raped. The evidence falls short to convict the accused.”
Takundwa said the complainant had told the court that she was assaulted by T Freddy at Moja shopping centre but no medical records were presented in court.
She said evidence of a single person must be treated with caution and that during trial, the complainant’s testimony shifted without evidence.
The rape allegations come after T Freddy reported the complainant for extortion that resulted in the Mercedes Benz vehicle reposed from the complainant.
