Robert Mukondiwa
Robert Garikai Mukondiwa is a Zimbabwean journalist who works as an anchor for Zimpapers Television Network. In March 2021 he appeared in court facing aggravated indecent assault charges after he allegedly sexually abused a 19-year-old Upper Six student at Allan Wilson High School.
Background
On 11 April 2020, Robert Mukondiwa lost his mother to breast cancer which had spread to the lungs.[1]
Career
Before he joined ZTN as an anchor, Mukondiwa worked as a deputy editor of the tabloid H-Metro.[2][3]
Mukondiwa sits on The Girl Child Network Zimbabwe Board having successfully nominated the founder for the prestigious CNN Heroes Award. He was a finalist in the CNN African Journalist of the Year Awards.[4]
Mukondiwa is the author of the Judas Files. He reported in post-conflict Rwanda, including the 17th Anniversary of the Rwandan Genocide, and from the ground during the Ivorian Civil war. [5]
Books
- The Judas Files (2015)
Sodomy Case
In March 2021, Mukondiwa appeared in court accused of raping a 19-year-old Allan Wilson High School Upper Sixth student after plying him with alcohol.
Magistrate Babra Mateko said the charge was a Third Schedule offence for which only the High Court could decide on bail. She remanded Mukondiwa, who was not asked to plead, in custody to April 12, 2021.
The student had visited Mukondiwa's apartment in the capital’s Avenues area seeking assistance on how he could reach out to a person staying in the diaspora who had promised to pay him school fees.[6]
The alleged victim, an orphan, had posted on Facebook that he needed assistance to pay his school fees. A woman in the United Kingdom responded to the student’s plea in February 2021. She further advised the student that he had to go to Mukondiwa, who would assess his needs and advise her in return.
On March 2, 2021, the alleged victim visited Mukondiwa’s residence at the corner of Selous Avenue and 7th Street and found him in the company of two other men “watching gay movies.”
Mukondiwa allegedly offered the student wine which he took after some persuasion. Mukondiwa and the alleged victim later proceeded to a shebeen where they continued drinking until about 11PM before returning to the journalist’s residence.
Mukondiwa, the court heard, showed his visitor a bed to sleep for the night. Sometime during the night, Mukondiwa allegedly stripped naked and jumped into the same bed.
Mapako said Mukondiwa was not pleased to find the student had slept with his clothes on and demanded that he should take them off. The student removed all his clothes except for a pair of boxer shorts and briefs.
Mukondiwa allegedly forced himself on him.
Mapako said the alleged victim screamed, forcing the journalist to stop the assault.
Mukondiwa, the court heard, begged his accuser not to tell anyone. He gave the alleged victim US$20 in the morning and he left.
The student, the court heard, told his UK donor about what had happened leading to a police case being filed on March 17, 2021.
The prosecution said it would produce a medical affidavit of an examination performed on Mukondiwa’s accuser.[2]
On 6 April 2021, Robert Mukondiwa was granted $2 000 bail by High Court judge Webster Chinamora.[7]
References
- ↑ Robert Mukondiwa, Twitter, Published: April 11, 2022, Retrieved: April 12, 2022
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Lindie Whiz, Zimpapers TV star Robert Mukondiwa in court over sex attack on male student, ZimLive, Published: March 26, 2021, Retrieved: March 27, 2021
- ↑ AMEYAW DEBRAH, Mukondiwa opens up on controversial book ‘Judas Files’, NewsDay, Published: November 17, 2015, Retrieved: April 12, 2022
- ↑ Robert Garikai Mukondiwa, LinkedIn, Published: No Date Given, Retrieved: March 27, 2021
- ↑ Robert Mukondiwa, Women Deliver, Published: 2010, Retrieved: March 27, 2021
- ↑ Mukondiwa up for aggravated assault, The Herald, Published: March 26, 2021, Retrieved: March 27, 2021
- ↑ Mary Taruvinga, Journalist Mukondiwa Freed On $2 000 Bail, NewZimbabwe.com, Published: april 5=6, 2021, Retrieved: April 12, 2022
