Eve Rumbidzai Dota Makoni (36), the complainant in the rape case against Bright Nyanhete (26), has defaulted court proceedings after being warned to appear at 9 a.m. on the day of the hearing.
A warrant of arrest has been issued for her after she failed to show up, and the matter was stood down until 10:30 a.m.
Makoni, who had been scheduled to testify in court, cited a migraine as her reason for not testifying the previous day and requested for the hearing to be moved. Despite this, she did not attend court as required.
Background of the Case
Bright Nyanhete, a Zimbabwean man based in Australia, stands accused of spiking Makoni’s drink and raping her during their first in-person meeting. According to court documents, Nyanhete met Makoni through her sister, who is also based in Australia. Nyanhete had expressed his intention to marry a Zimbabwean woman, leading to the introduction and the start of their romantic relationship.
Nyanhete traveled to Zimbabwe to meet Makoni for the first time, and the alleged incident occurred on November 13. It is reported that Nyanhete went to Makoni’s house, where the two drank whisky together and engaged in kissing and caressing.
However, Makoni informed Nyanhete that she was not ready to engage in sexual activity due to concerns about his HIV status.
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The State alleges that while Makoni was in the bathroom, Nyanhete laced her drink with an unknown substance. Upon her return, he handed her the drink, after which she reportedly began to feel disoriented. Nyanhete is accused of then raping her, holding her by the neck, and later raping her again when they went to bed.
Makoni reportedly experienced severe headaches and heart palpitations, which the State says rendered her unable to resist the assault.
Accused’s Defense
Nyanhete, who appeared before regional magistrate Marewanazvo Gofa, was released on free bail since he was coming from home and no bail application was raised by the State.
In his defense, Nyanhete has denied the allegations, claiming that the accusations are fabricated. He stated that Makoni made the allegations after discovering that he is set to marry another woman later this month.
Current Developments
With Makoni failing to appear in court, the case has taken a new turn. Her absence raises questions about the progression of the case, with her testimony being a critical component of the trial.
The court is now tasked with addressing Makoni’s non-compliance and determining how this will impact the proceedings against Nyanhete. A warrant of arrest has been issued for her, signaling the seriousness with which the court views her default.
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