Mai Jeremaya rape case hits first hurdle as court grants bail
HARARE – The rape case involving popular social media personality Mai Jeremaya hit a setback on Wednesday after the State consented to bail for the two accused men, with the Harare Magistrates Court remanding them out of custody to June 5, 2025.
In Zimbabwe, rape is classified as a Third Schedule offense, meaning accused persons who appear before any magistrates’ court are automatically referred to the High Court for bail consideration—a process that often sees suspects spending weeks in remand prison. The burden lies on the accused to justify why they should be granted bail. However, in a rare departure from this norm, the magistrates court granted bail in this case. _Kukurigo_ could not ascertain how the rape charge was maintained, yet the accused were released by the lower court.
The State defended its decision not to oppose bail, citing that the accused—Thabo Blessing Dube, 27, and Martin Charlie, 25—have fixed addresses, no criminal records, and posed no flight risk.
“It is the State’s view that such forceful and convincing reasons, which will make the court feel very strongly that the accused should not be released on bail, do not exist,” prosecutors said. “They do not have any known previous convictions or pending cases… and they did not exhibit any conduct from which any inclination to abscond can be inferred.”
The State further indicated it was willing to impose conditions such as the surrender of passports to ensure compliance.
Magistrate Marewanazvo Gofa had yesterday raised concerns about the scope of the charges, questioning why the pair were not also charged with aggravated indecent assault, given allegations they forced the complainant to perform oral sex.
The State acknowledged the point, submitting: “It is… submitted that considering that the acts constituting aggravated indecent assault appear to have taken place in a single transaction with those acts constituting rape. It also appears that the dominant intention was rape. It is also worth noting that the same evidence will be used to prove the acts constituting rape and those constituting aggravated indecent assault. In the result, charging the accused with both rape and aggravated indecent assault may be an unnecessary splitting of charges.”
Mai Jeremaya, known for her large online following, appeared to have waived her right to anonymity by publicly posting a video detailing the alleged assault.
The State had initially consented to bail, but Magistrate Gofa demanded further justification.
In that document, prosecutors also disclosed the men’s version of events, which was presented during initial vetting. The accused deny any wrongdoing, saying the encounter was consensual and arranged in advance.
They allege that Charlie met Mai Jeremaya at Joina City mall, after which the pair went to a lodge in Eastlea, where she willingly engaged in sexual activity. Dube, they claim, merely facilitated the arrangement and did not have sex with her.
Following the encounter, the defense claims Mai Jeremaya demanded US$500 instead of the agreed US$20. When the men refused to pay, she allegedly sent a private investigator—identified as Tafadzwa “Detective Kedha” Chidawa—to coerce them into paying the higher amount. They claim the rape report was filed after they declined.
