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 of man hunt by the law enforcement agents.
The accused Dube was recently apprehended after being on the run in connection with an alleged rape case involving a woman from Lower Gweru. The alleged incident occurred in 2021, when the complainant was 19 years old.
The case went to trial, and Dube was acquitted by the court two weeks after the trial concluded. At the time of the trial, the complainant was 21 years old.
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 who was a juvenile at the time the offense was committed. Circumstances were that on February 6, 2021, at around 2000 hours, the complainant and her twin sister ran away from their place of residence and started staying at Insukamini Township in Lower Gweru, renting a room.
On March 14, 2021, the two sisters were at Insukamini Business Center when Dube came and sat next to the complainant 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 accused raped her once without her consent. After the sexual intercourse, she tried to escape but accused 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. However, upon discovering that she had been accused of being raped by the accused, her boyfriend turned her away. Left with nowhere to go, the complainant returned to her sister’s residence, only to find that her sister had been taken back home by their mother.
Feeling desperate and lonely, the complainant began wandering the streets, intent on ending her life. Fortunately, a good Samaritan, 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 passing the judgment, Regional Magistrate Maturure revealed that a thorough examination of the evidence and witness testimony exposed the accused’s fabrications against Dube.
The medical report, in particular, showed no signs of rape, although it did indicate that the complainant was already sexually active at a tender age. Following a comprehensive trial, the court found insufficient evidence to convict Shadreck Dube of the rape charges. As a result, he was formally cleared of the allegations and declared not guilty.”.
This case highlights the impartial justice system at Gweru Regional Court, as well as the crucial need 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.
