By Chantelle Muzanenhamo
Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) MP Happymore Chidziva was acquitted on Tuesday of rape charges by Harare magistrate Letwin Rwodzi.
Chidziva, representing Glen View South, was arrested last September after being accused of raping a 16-year-old girl, a relative of his wife.
The magistrate ruled that the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) failed to prove Chidziva’s guilt, including the allegation that he helped the girl find a job.
The prosecution’s case involved claims that Chidziva lured the girl at a Zanu PF headquarters traffic light, took her to a hotel, and raped her after she refused his initial advances.
They also alleged he later raped her at a guesthouse in Waterfalls and attempted to coerce her into sexual activity again at Cresta Lodge.
However, the magistrate concluded there was insufficient evidence to convict, noting that the prosecution did not substantiate key allegations, including assisting the girl to find employment.
Chidziva’s legal team welcomed the ruling, emphasizing the importance of due process and the presumption of innocence until proven guilty.
What is interesting in this case is how Chidziva had been found guilty in the court of public opinion but the real court found the man not guilty, allowing Chidziva to go on with his life having escaped false rape accusations, a scenario many men have failed to escape.