……Freed after Spending 3years in Remand prison
By Dumisani Ndlovu
Freedom is the very essence of our humanity,’ and for Shadreck Dube, a Lower Gweru man, this essence has finally been restored. After three long years in remand prison awaiting trial for a rape case he steadfastly maintained he did not commit, Dube has been exonerated.
Regional Magistrate Christopher Maturure’s verdict brought an end to Dube’s ordeal, ruling that the evidence presented failed to link him to the alleged crime, and thus, he walked free, his innocence finally acknowledged.
The state had alleged that in 2021, Shadreck Dube was accused of raping Patience Mashoko (19), who was a juvenile at the time the offense was committed. Circumstances were that on February 6, 2021, at around 2000 hours, Patience and her twin sister Petronella Mashoko ran away from their place of residence and started staying at Insukamini Township, renting a room.
On March 14, 2021, the two sisters were at Insukamini Business Center when Dube came and sat next to Patience and proposed love to her, but she kept quiet. She decided to go to Maboleni when Dube took her cell phone whilst she was trying to board a lift and allegedly pulled her out of the car and dragged her to Insukamini Dam.
At the dam, the state alleged that Dube raped her once without her consent. After the sexual intercourse, she tried to escape but Dube caught up with her and allegedly raped her again. The complainant later managed to escape and went to her boyfriend’s house, where she slept and was later chased away.
However, after a full trial, the court found no evidence linking Dube to the crime, and he was finally exonerated of the rape charges.
After escaping from her alleged attacker, Patience sought refuge at her boyfriend’s house, where she spent the night. However, upon discovering that she had been accused of being raped by Shadreck Dube, her boyfriend turned her away. Left with nowhere to go, Patience returned to her sister’s residence, only to find that her sister had been taken back home by their mother.
Feeling desperate and alone, Patience began wandering the streets, intent on ending her life. Fortunately, villager Moert Mwindwa spotted her and intervened, taking her to the Insukamini Police Base. There, she received medical attention, and a report was generated, which was later submitted as evidence in court.
In his judgment, Regional Magistrate Christopher Maturure revealed that a thorough examination of the evidence and witness testimony exposed Patience’s fabrications against Dube. The medical report, in particular, showed no signs of rape, although it did indicate that Patience was already sexually active at a young age.
This case highlights the crucial need for a fair and impartial justice system, as well as the importance of supporting individuals who have been wrongly accused. Shadreck Dube’s three-year ordeal serves as a poignant reminder of the devastating consequences of false accusations and the importance of upholding the truth.
