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Fungai Lupande Harare Bureau
ZANU-PF Bikita West legislator Munyaradzi Kereke yesterday concluded his defence in his rape trial by demanding an apology from his in-laws for wrongful conduct.

Kereke also raised a red flag against the private prosecutor Charles Warara on a possibility that he might have abused the girls in the guise of all night prayers at his home.

Kereke is accused of raping a 13-year-old girl in 2010 and indecently assaulting her sister who was 15-years-old at the time. “All I request from the Maramwidzes is just an apology. I hold a High Court order in my favour for Mr Francis Maramwidze to pay restitution for wrongful conduct,” said Kereke.

“I didn’t 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 need along with my children.

“There were concerns raised by my family, my in-laws Mr and Mrs Muswapadare Taruvinga against the private prosecutor Mr Warara who didn’t exercise strict protection to the complainants,” said Kereke.

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

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

“The report was made by Mr Muswapadare and his family. It’s true the girls frequented Warara’s house.”

During cross examination Warara asked Kereke how many wives he has.

Kereke said three and Warara inquired if he is happily married to all the women.

Kereke quickly objected to the line of questioning saying it attacked his character.

“It’s proper to have many wives according to his religion. I object to the line of questioning because it’s defamatory and inflammatory,” said Kereke’s lawyer Erum Mutandiro.

Warara said Kereke talked about other people’s characters and by so doing allowed his own character to be scrutinised.

The magistrate, Noel Mupeiwa agreed with Warara and ordered Kereke to answer the question.

“Yes, I’m very happily married to the three women. I divorced two other previous wives. So far I’ve had five wives, one after the other,” he said.

Warara asked Kereke if he started spotting a beard when he joined Johanne Marange Apostolic Sect.

“I started spotting a beard when I was 14 years old at Silveira High school in Bikita. Sometimes I would keep it sometimes I would shave,” said Kereke.