Mai Jeremaya ‘rape’: Paradise Lodge CCTV footage presented in court
Harare – An official of Paradise Lodge where socialite Mai Jeremaya was allegedly raped on Thursday told the court on Thursday that the booking house has a Close Circuit Television (CCTV) that monitors people who enter their premises.
Steady Chasieni, an official who monitors the CCTV of Paradise Lodge and bookings was brought in as a defence witness of Thabo Blessing Dube and Martin Nigel Charlie, the men accused of raping Ashley Masendeke who is known as Mai Jeremaya.
Chasieni told the court that Paradise Lodges runs two lodges on the same road in Eastlea, which are number 11 and 15 Frank Johnson Avenue.
The defence led by Shepherd Makonde presented footage which they showed Chasieni and the witness confirmed that it is the video footage of April 30, the day the alleged rape happened.
”I know this video, it is a video of number 15 Frank Johnson,” Chasieni said.
Chasieni said the lodge has outside cameras and not inside the rooms.
He said on May 1 he did the video inspections a routine exercise to do a reconciliation of rooms that were booked and check with their booking notes.
”The following day (May 1) I did inspections of the bookings and after this case was reported I had the opportunity to see what actually transpired.
”I saw the accused person number two (Martin Nigel Charlie), he is the one who comes to the reception.
”I see a silver GD6, it has a number plate at the front and does not have a number plate at the back.
”According to the CCTV it entered 18.10 HOURS and they left at 19:19 HOURS,” he said.
Chasieni was asked to tell the court the flow of the traffic at the time at the lodge.
”At the time of the bookings they were five vehicles parked at different parking spaces,”
”They entered room number 6.”
Prosecutor Cecilia Mashingaidze in cross examination asked Chasieni if he would know what happened inside room 6 of which he said he doesn’t know.
”We did not install internal cameras inside the rooms. We can only know of what happens in the person screams and shouts. We don’t know what transpired,” Chasieni said.
Chasieni was also asked whether person coming into the lodge can see if the premise is a lodge.
”No. There is no signage outside,” Chasieni said.
The defence has been saying Mai Jeremaya knew that she was getting into a lodge when she arrived at 15 Frank Johnson Avenue.
Mai Jeremaya said she thought she was at offices of a company.
Dube and Charlie were put to their defence after the magistrate, Letwin Rwodzi dismissed their application to have their case dismissed at the close of the State’s case.
Trial continues on Monday. June 30, 2025.
