Harare – A man accused of raping Mai Jeremaya, Thabo Blessing Dube has denied the charges when he was put to his defence at the Harare magistrate court saying his friend was the one who slept with the socialite after she charged US$20 per hour session.
Dube is jointly charged with his friend Martin Nigel Charlie of raping Ashley Masendeke whose social name is Mai Jeremaya.
Dube said Mai Jeremaya coveted a Toyota GD6 that his friend Charlie was driving and asked him if he can organize that she can have paid sex with his friend for a US$20 charge as she was having serious financial troubles.
Dube said she had initially asked him for US$5 as she wanted the money to pay for her cooking gas.
”She then told us that she was charging $20 an hour for sexual services and it was ridiculous. We laughed,” Dube said.
Dube said she was not interested in sleeping with Mai Jeremaya as he had spent that day April 30 making love to her girlfriend.
He said Mai Jeremaya and Charlie had an agreement to have sex before they went to number 15 Frank Johnson, Paradise lodge.
Dube said he asked her if she was serious and she said she was serious and she said that was her source of getting money.
”What if the complainant (Mai Jeremaya) says when she went to a lodge she wasn’t aware that she was going to a lodge?,” Shepherd Makonde, the defence lawyer said in leading Dube’s evidence.
”She is lying,” Dube answered.
”What if it is said that when you left Joina City you were going to shoot a video?,” Makonde asked.
”I dispute that even when she came she didn’t have any camera person to shoot the video and it was already sunset,” Dube answered.
”What if it is said on your way to the lodge you were intimidating the complainant?,” Makonde asked.
”I dispute that, already an agreement was made,” Dube said.
”What if it is said that you also had unprotected sex with the complainant,” Makonde asked.
”I dispute that because I had spent the whole day with my girlfriend and I was so exhausted. I am still young and I couldn’t have unprotected sex with her,” Dube answered.
Under cross examination from prosecutor, Cecilia Mashingaidze, Dube described Mai Jeremaya as a liar.
Dube said he first met Mai Jeremaya on December 31, 2024 at a music festival and they exchanged numbers.
He said Mai Jeremaya lied in court that she didn’t know him before April 30, 2025 the day of the rape when they have always been in touch since last year December.
”Why would the complainant lie that you removed her bra, socks and she performed oral sex and had unprotected sex with you?,” Mashingaidze asked Dube.
”Like I said the complainant is a liar,” Dube answered.
Dube and Charlie were put to their defence after magistrate Letwin Rwodzi dismissed their application for discharge at the close of the State’s case.
The trial continues on Monday June 30, 2025 with Charlie on the stand to defend the rape charge.
Editor’s Note; We are naming Mai Jeremaya in the story, a rape victim after she came out publicly on her own about the ordeal she went through.