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Nyore Madzianike Senior Court Reporter

GOODNESS and Mercy Ministries leader Prophet Tapiwa Freddy, accused of rape and physical abuse of his ex-lover, yesterday claimed in court that the woman lured him into the relationship with her nude pictures.

Freddy also claimed that his former lover would often pester him for intimacy over the phone during the subsistence of their love affair.

His lawyer Mr Everson Chatambudza made the claims while cross-examining the woman.

Freddy is charged with two counts of rape and another count of physical abuse.

“You consented to the sexual act and you seduced him with nude pictures you were sending to him resulting in you having the relationship.

“You were the one who started sending him nude pictures, as a man what were you expecting from him,” said Mr Chatambudza.

In her response, the woman denied sending Freddy nude pictures saying:

“I never sent him any nude pictures, but I know that he has some nude pictures of me he took from my phone.

“I know one picture he took which was taken by my late husband while I was bathing in Nyanga.

“As for the other pictures I don’t know about them,” she said.

Mr Chatambudza then produced and showed her some nude pictures he claimed she sent to Freddy.

The woman acknowledged that the phone number which was used to send the pictures was hers, but insisted that Freddy forcefully took them from her cellphone.

“He took a lot of pictures from my phone because he used to keep the phone with him for some days.

“I was living in jail at the hands of this person.

“He would do everything forcefully, he would do things forcefully.

“He used to forcefully take it (the phone) for three to four days,” she said.

Also asked to comment on the assertion that Freddy fell victim of her seductions and later succumbed to her fabricated rape allegations, the woman responded:

“He took advantage of my husband’s death and the US$2 500 and coffin he assisted me with.”

Mr Chatambudza also asked the woman to comment on assertions that she was the one who had been pestering Freddy for intimacy throughout their relationship.

He also produced WhatApp messages and played a phone recording wherein the woman was telling Freddy of how she was sexually starved.

In the audio recording, the woman was also heard telling Freddy she also wanted to enjoy the conjugal rights, as a woman.

The messages were allegedly sent to Freddy on August 20 last year.

She confirmed that the messages were sent via her mobile number, but distanced herself from the played recording. The woman told the court that the audios were doctored and it was not her voice which was on the audio.

“It is clear that you started having this relationship before the alleged first rape incident and you discussed about having intercourse with accused earlier,” said Mr Chatambudza, during cross-examination.

The woman acknowledged having discussed their affair before the rape allegations arose, saying Freddy agreed to let her go once she had decided to get married to another person.

“I was explaining to him that I wanted to be married and asked him whether he would marry me. He agreed to let me go,” she said.

Questioned on the events that folded on the second alleged rape incident, the woman told the court that Freddy raped her at her home.

She claimed that Freddy tore her red-dress when he was raping her, although she acknowledged taking the dress as evidence to the police.

The woman said she was weak on the day in question and could not successfully wrestle him.

She said it was the day she noticed that Freddy had a sore on his manhood.

The woman told the court that Freddy forced his manhood into her mouth.

She then sobbed before the court shortly adjourned to allow her to calm down. When the session continued, Freddy, through Mr Chatambudza, asked her to produce evidence that he assaulted her at Moja Shopping Centre in Southerton.

She was challenged to produce evidence of the said attack in the form of medical affidavits and she failed.

The matter continues today.

Harare regional magistrate Mrs Gloria Takundwa presided while Miss Sheilla Mupindu appeared for the State.