HARARE – For years, the corridors of Morgan Zintec College were supposed to be a sanctuary of learning, a place where the next generation of Zimbabwean educators were moulded. However, behind the closed doors of the English department, a far more sinister curriculum was allegedly being enforced. Happiness Karengo, a senior lecturer whose very name suggests joy, is now the subject of a manhunt that has laid bare a pattern of systemic abuse, academic manipulation, and a personal life as fractured as the trust he is accused of betraying.
The scandal, which first broke earlier this week, has deepened with new revelations that Karengo did not merely target one student. According to insiders and victims who have finally found the courage to speak, the lecturer operated a “sex-for-grades” racket that treated the college’s female population as a personal dating pool. Most shockingly, it has emerged that while the shadows of a rape investigation loomed over him, Karengo walked down the aisle with another former student—a woman from the very same institution where he is accused of preying on her peers.
The Office of No Return
The specific incident that brought the law to Karengo’s doorstep occurred in November 2024. A 30-year-old female student, whose identity is being protected, found herself at the administration block when she encountered the lecturer. Karengo, leveraging his position of authority, informed her that she had missed an in-class examination. He told her to follow him to his office immediately to rectify the situation.
What happened next, according to the victim’s statement at Braeside Police Station, was a cold-blooded abuse of power. Upon entering the office, Karengo allegedly turned the key in the lock. The student, sensing the sudden shift in atmosphere, was met with a chillingly calm profession of “love.”
“He started touching her shoulders,” a source familiar with the police report stated. Despite the student’s desperate pleas for him to stop and her threats to scream, Karengo remained undeterred. He reportedly walked to a locker, retrieved a condom, and proceeded to rape her.
In a detail that highlights the sheer clinical coldness of the act, the victim alleges that after the assault, Karengo simply dressed himself, handed her the examination paper he had used as bait, and told her to write it. He then walked out of the office, leaving her alone with her trauma and the very test that had been used to lure her into the trap.
A Culture of Silence and “Chegotsi”
For months, the victim remained silent. Her sister, fearing the lecturer’s reach within the college’s administrative hierarchy, advised her to wait until her coursework marks were officially profiled. The fear was palpable: if she spoke out too soon, Karengo could “tamper with her college work and make her fail.” It was only this week, with her academic future seemingly secured, that she felt safe enough to file charges under RRB 6473934.
However, as the investigation gains momentum, it is becoming clear that this was not an isolated lapse in judgment. Amongst the student body, Karengo was known by a derogatory nickname: “Chegotsi.” The moniker whispered through the dormitories, served as a warning of his predatory nature.
“He has a history of dating students across various streams,” one fellow lecturer admitted, speaking on condition of anonymity. “At one point, he clashed with two officials over these interactions. He’s been entangled in numerous controversies for a long time.”
The allegations suggest a sophisticated system of academic extortion. “He would offer students a choice: cash or sexual favours for passing grades,” an official added. Those who refused often found their academic standing mysteriously compromised. One female student reportedly failed her exams entirely after she distanced herself from Karengo, who had previously manipulated her marks to keep her close.
The Collapse of a Marriage and a College Wedding
The lecturer’s professional misconduct appears to have mirrored a chaotic personal life. Sources close to his family revealed that Karengo’s marriage to his wife, Florence, collapsed in 2024. The reason, according to those in the know, was a “row triggered by allegations of infidelity” that Florence could no longer ignore.
But Karengo did not spend long in reflection. In a move that has sparked intense speculation across the campus, he quickly married a former student from Morgan Zintec. The timing of the nuptials has led many to believe that the two were already involved while she was still under his academic supervision.
“The fact that he married a student so quickly after his marriage ended tells you everything you need to know about his boundaries,” a source noted. “He didn’t see these women as students; he saw them as opportunities.”
A Fall from Grace
Karengo’s alleged descent into criminality is particularly jarring for those who knew him in his private life. Once a devout member of a local church, he was seen as a pillar of the community. However, reports suggest that he has since “strayed from his faith,” trading his religious convictions for a lifestyle of manipulation and abuse.
When H-Metro initially approached Karengo for a comment, his reaction was far from that of an innocent man. He repeatedly hung up on reporters and refused to answer questions when confronted in person. Yet, in the digital shadows of a students’ WhatsApp group, he displayed a different persona.
Following the initial publication of the sex scandal, one student messaged the group: “Sir are you safe, tinonetseka sevana venyu” (Sir are you safe, we are worried as your children). Karengo’s response was chillingly confident, claiming that he felt “secure” despite the mounting evidence against him.
A National Crisis in Higher Education
The case of Happiness Karengo is not an anomaly; it is a symptom of a broader, more pervasive issue within Zimbabwe’s higher education system. Recent studies, including a comprehensive report by the Committee on Higher and Tertiary Education, have highlighted a “high prevalence of sexual harassment” across the nation’s 16 major institutions.
From the 3,500 female students surveyed in recent academic papers, a staggering number reported experiencing unwanted sexual advances, academic extortion, and indecent assault. The Karengo case echoes other recent incidents, such as the arrest of a 48-year-old teacher in Hopley for the sexual assault of a minor, and the ongoing trial of Zvikomborero Maria Makedenge, a 33-year-old teacher accused of abusing a 16-year-old boy.
In many of these cases, the power dynamic is the primary weapon. In Zimbabwe, where the economic climate makes a teaching qualification a precious commodity, lecturers like Karengo hold the keys to a student’s entire future. When that key is offered only in exchange for “sexual favours,” the result is a culture of coerced silence.
The Manhunt Continues
As of today, Happiness Karengo remains at large. He has failed to cooperate with the police at Braeside, and his current whereabouts are unknown. The victim has been referred to Edith Clinic for medical examination, but the psychological scars of the November afternoon in the English department office will likely take much longer to heal.
At Morgan Zintec, the atmosphere is one of tense anticipation. Lecturers are openly discussing the case, with many expressing relief that the “Chegotsi” era might finally be coming to an end.
“This is serious abuse and unprofessional conduct,” a student representative stated. “We suspect that he could have been doing this to many others in exchange for favours, and it simply went unreported because of the fear he instilled.”
The authorities are urging anyone with information on Karengo’s whereabouts to come forward. The Braeside Police Station has confirmed that the investigation is active, though the suspect’s ability to evade capture thus far has raised concerns about his potential support network. For the victims of Morgan Zintec, the hope is that justice will not only find Happiness Karengo but will also begin to dismantle the “sex-for-grades” culture that has flourished in the shadows of Zimbabwe’s classrooms for far too long.
Furthermore, the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education has previously been called upon by advocacy groups to implement more rigorous vetting processes for academic staff. The Karengo scandal serves as a stark illustration of the consequences when institutional oversight fails. Experts suggest that the reliance on individual lecturers for final grading creates a bottleneck of power that predators are all too eager to exploit. Until systemic changes—such as anonymous grading and independent reporting channels—are established, the corridors of Zimbabwe’s colleges may continue to harbour those who see students as prey rather than pupils.
The psychological impact on the student body at Morgan Zintec cannot be overstated. Counselling services, though limited, have seen an uptick in students seeking support as the details of Karengo’s alleged actions circulate. The betrayal of trust by a figure meant to be a mentor has left many questioning the safety of their learning environment. As the manhunt continues, the college community remains in a state of flux, caught between the desire for academic progress and the necessity of confronting a deep-seated institutional rot.
The story of the lecturer who married his student while running from a rape charge is more than a tabloid headline; it is a grim reminder of the vulnerability of those who only wish to learn, and the predatory nature of those who are paid to teach them.
Timeline of the Scandal:
- November 2024: Alleged rape of a 30-year-old student in Karengo’s office.
- Early 2024: Collapse of Karengo’s marriage to Florence over infidelity issues.
- Mid 2024: Karengo marries a former student from Morgan Zintec College.
- February 10, 2026: H-Metro reveals Karengo is on the run following a police report.
- February 11, 2026: Further revelations surface regarding his “sex-for-grades” history and the marriage to a former student.
If you have any information regarding this case or have been a victim of similar abuse, please contact your local police station or the Braeside Police Station directly.
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