Kereke Accuses Supreme Court Judge of Bribery and Misconduct
Convicted rapist Munyaradzi Kereke filed a sensational 10-page complaint in June accusing Supreme Court judge of appeal George Mutandwa Chiweshe of demanding cash and a gold mine to help quash his conviction, triggering disciplinary proceedings by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) that have escalated into an urgent High Court legal battle by September.
Disciplinary Proceedings and High Court Challenge
Chiweshe is challenging the scope of the proceedings before a committee chaired by Justice Anne Mary Gowora, arguing that the investigating panel expanded the allegations beyond those originally referred by Chief Justice Elizabeth Gwaunza. Kereke completed a 10-year prison sentence for raping his 14-year-old niece on January 8, after a Supreme Court bench that included Chiweshe, Justice Samuel Kudya, and Justice Tendai Uchena dismissed his appeal on May 31, 2024.
Chief Justice Elizabeth Gwaunza informed Gowora on July 30 that Kereke’s initial complaint warranted investigation under section 7(1) of the Judicial Service (Code of Ethics) Regulations, 2012. Originally, the scope of reference encompassed four distinct matters: a car transaction, demands or payments of cash, the supply of company paperwork, and talks regarding a gold-mining asset. The disciplinary committee was later reconstituted on August 4, with Justice Bharat Patel replacing Justice Faith Mushure, while Justice Benjamin Hlatshwayo remained on the panel alongside Gowora.
Extortion Claims Involving Cash and a Gold Mine
Kereke’s detailed complaint, addressed to President Emmerson Mnangagwa and Chief Justice Gwaunza, alleges that Chiweshe claimed the three-judge appeal panel concluded his rape conviction was wrongful, but subsequently demanded bribes to secure his release. According to Kereke’s allegations, Chiweshe dispatched a driver to his Glen Lorne property back in 2012 bearing an aged Mercedes-Benz along with directives to liquidate the vehicle and remit US$25,000. According to the complaint, the vehicle was sold for US$24,000 in installments passed on to Chiweshe, alongside an additional US$4,000 in cash handed over during meetings at Highland Park Shopping Centre.
Furthermore, Kereke alleges that Chiweshe demanded a gold mine be registered through a special-purpose company, Flickstone Investments (Private) Limited, and that US$20,000 be paid to each of the three appeal judges.
Personal Misconduct and Family Interference Allegations
Beyond financial and bribery accusations, Kereke claims that Chiweshe interfered in his personal life while he was incarcerated. The complaint alleges that the judge repeatedly summoned two of Kereke’s wives, Patience Taruvinga Muswapadare and Isabel Chirapura, to his offices. Kereke asserts that these interactions contributed to the breakdown of his marriage and strained relations with his family during his imprisonment.
With the High Court yet to determine the urgent application to stay the disciplinary process, the unfolding inquiry places unprecedented scrutiny on the highest levels of the judiciary.