MAI Jeremaya pleaded with one of the two men suspected of gang raping her to use a condom just before she was allegedly raped at a lodge in Harare on April 30.
The social media star, whose real name is Ashley Masendeke, waived her right to anonymity, which is usually reserved for victims in sexual abuse cases, when she recorded a video and discussed the case on social media.
Mai Jeremiah is accusing Thabo Blessing Dube and Martin Charlie of deceiving her and raping her at the lodge in the capital.
The two have denied the allegations.
She took the witness stand to open the State case before regional magistrate Letwin Rwodzi on Friday. The social media star painted a graphic picture of how she was raped and how the incident has destroyed her eight-year-old relationship with her partner.
The State, represented by Cecilia Mashingaidze, called Mai Jeremaya to the stand to narrate the events leading to the alleged rape incident. In a graphic illustration of the events, Mai Jeremaya told the court that:
– She started crying when she realised she was about to be raped by Charlie.
– Fear of her attacker forced her to remove her clothes, when Charlie removed his clothes, she pleaded with him to use condoms. Charlie allegedly fondled her and demanded that she should kiss his private parts.
– After being allegedly raped by the duo, she initially decided she was not going to tell anyone about her ordeal because she feared the backlash, including the embarrassment she would have to endure.
– One of her attackers scared her when he claimed he had access to some classified information and he would hunt her down and find her wherever she would hide.
– She suffered physically and has since been forced to rely on medication, including some which she reacted to, which makes it difficult for her to sleep.
– She now suffers from anxiety and although she was having challenges with her partner, before this incident, she feels the case has destroyed that partnership.
Asked what she does for a living, Mai Jeremaya said she was an actress.
“I’m an actress and a musician, I’m a social media influencer.”
She added:
“I’m not formally married but I’ve been cohabiting with my husband for the past eight years and we have three children.
“On the day in question, I was in Westgate where I had visited my family friend with my children and I responded to a WhatsApp message from one Sam.
“It wasn’t the first time he had messaged me, previously he had requested for the price that I would charge for advertising his trucks.
“On April 9, I had received a call from one Dube who had said he was from Elite Driving School and wanted me to shoot an advert for them but he never came to the meeting as I was with my husband.
“When I got into town on the 30th, I contacted Sam, asking for directions to where we would meet, and I had emphasised that I didn’t have money to use to get back home.
“Sam gave me a number to call saying he was busy but his driver would pick me up, I called the number and waited for hours before Charlie came to pick me up.”
She told the court that she was under the impression they were going to ‘Sam’s office.
“I was then shocked when we got into the ‘office’ to see a bed and the two locked me in the room.
“When I realised that I was about to be raped I started crying and Dube warned me that it would infuriate Charlie.
“Dube left the room and Charlie started taking off his clothes, I demanded that he use condoms.
“Because I was afraid when Charlie started removing his clothes I also removed my dress and left my bra and pulling socks on.
“He started fondling me and I removed the rest of my clothes.
“He raped me before Dube came and joined in.”
Asked by prosecutor Mashingaidze if she was in agreement, Mai Jeremaya said:
“I don’t believe I was in agreement but I was acting out of coercion and fear, if I had wanted to engage in sexual activity it would have been with Sam, not these boys.
“Initially, I had decided that I wasn’t going to tell anyone about my ordeal because, besides that I have a public persona, I didn’t want to be embarrassed.
“He had scared me by saying he had access to classified information and he had told me scary stories and he would find me wherever I would be.
“I suffered physically as I had to take medication which I reacted to, I have anxiety, I can’t sleep even though we were having problems with my husband. I think this destroyed my marriage, I have been embarrassed.”
In their defence, the duo told the court that Mai Jeremaya was the one who initiated the meeting via a text message to Charlie and denied the State’s claims that they contacted her first.
They told the court that Mai Jeremaya was picked up by Charlie in the Harare CBD and they proceeded to Eastlea where they picked up Dube and his girlfriend.
The group returned to the CBD to drop off Dube’s girlfriend and Charlie went to buy lunch leaving Dube and Mai Jeremaya in the car.
The duo claimed that while Charlie was away, Mai Jeremiah allegedly got a chance to speak privately with Dube and she revealed that she had recently separated from her husband and was desperate for money.
They told the court that she allegedly complimented Charlie’s car, a double cab truck, and his iPhone, describing him as “well-off” before she proposed an hour of consensual sex for a fee of US$20.
Dube told the court that he conveyed the message to Charlie and the parties agreed to engage in consensual sexual activity at a lodge for US$20.
Charlie said he drove to the lodge and Mai Jeremaya allegedly demanded for advance payment, which was given, and she voluntarily undressed, engaged in foreplay, including kissing and caressing Charlie, assisted him in wearing a condom, and assumed an active role during the consensual intercourse.
Charlie told her that he couldn’t afford such an amount and she allegedly reduced it to US$300.
He again told her that she couldn’t afford it.
They told the court that Mai Jeremaya never expressed distress or lack of consent.
They claimed that she later engaged controversial private investigator Tafadzwa Chidawa, who kidnapped them and their parents demanding US$500, which they refused to pay.
The duo claimed the that the rape allegations claimed from the failed extortion attempt.
The trial resumes tomorrow. – Hmetro
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